Making Pies, Waking the Dead, and Ruining Everything
by Laney1718
Summary: Ned realizes that it's selfish to keep Chuck from having a normal relationship and he decides to end things. Chuck refuses to accept their breakup, and continues to hope things will resolve themselves. Olive takes it upon herself to comfort her friends, but she and Ned end up doing something that will potentially ruin everything. Emerson...well Emerson is stuck in the middle of it.
1. The Beginning of The End

The Pie maker was on his way back to the Pie Hole when suddenly he stopped. For through the window, what he thought were two random lovers were not so random at all. In fact, in his favorite booth, by his favorite window sat his beloved Chuck and an unknown man. An unknown man who looked at Chuck in a way that the Pie-maker did not enjoy. The man then reached out to touch Chuck's hand. This was something he could not provide her with, physical contact. He thought his love was enough, but suddenly he felt as though he was drowning in doubt. The Pie-maker then removed himself from Chuck's line of vision. He ran towards his apartment unaware that Chuck had already noticed him.

* * *

"I am so very sorry for your loss." Chuck said.

"I just want to thank you, and Emerson for all your help in my wife's case." the man said gratefully.

He was gracious and kind, a few years older than Chuck, but not too many. He sat straightened with his short cropped, dark blonde, hair and glowing green eyes. He dressed neatly and in warm colors, representative of his warm nature. Any woman would have been clay in his hands, but Chuck had eyes for only one.

"Of course, we just wanted justice to be well served." She smiled.

The man reached out and held Chuck's hand as a way to thank her without using words. Her first thought was to pull her hand back. Her second thought was how nice it was to have a hand to hold. She closed her eyes, imagining for a single second that it was the hand of the Pie-maker.

In the moment her eyes had opened, she had seen the Pie-maker, outside of the window with a look of confusion and disdain. With a single blink he had disappeared from sight.

She squirmed nervously and visibly tensed as her mind raced with unthinkable thoughts.

"Ugh..I'm sorry I have to go. But thank you for...the pie" She said, quickly stealing her hand out of his grasp and making her way out of the booth, stumbling awkwardly as she did so.

"Are you sure?" The man said.

"Yes, I'm so sorry. I really have to go." She spread her hands over her floral dress, as to flatten out the wrinkles and made her way towards the door.

She left the Pie Hole and ran, knowing exactly where her beloved Ned was headed: home.

Chuck banged on the door, fists clenched and heart racing.

"Ned, please let me in." She pleaded. She knew exactly how his mind worked, and she needed to set things straight.

The door suddenly opened.

"Ned..I" She was abruptly cut off.

"What was that? Who was he? Why were you holding his hand?" Ned spoke with a frantic and firm tone.

"Maybe you could give me a minute to explain. He is a client of Emerson's who was in need of someone to talk to. He held my hand for support while he was discussing the death of his late wife. In fact, if you must know, while I was holding his hand I was imagining it was yours"

She released a breath, thankful that she was able to explain. Ned however, was still not at ease.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" He said, anger still in his words.

"Well.. kinda! In my mind, it was you. In my mind I was holding your hand, and if only for a second I could imagine that I was able to touch you; I'm sorry but I'm going to enjoy that moment. He was only a proxy." She felt that he was being absurd, and she was growing impatient with his child-like jealousy.

"Yes, but it's the proxy that I'm worried about." His anger was dissipating,but he was still unnerved.

"You're being ridiculous! Making a mountain out of a mole hill." She gestured her hand towards the inside of his apartment, a silent way to tell him to let her in. He obliged, and she moved towards the kitchen. She turned around to face him again, hands on her hips.

"I never liked that saying." His right hand lifted to the back of his neck.

"Well none the less it's what you're doing, so knock it off!"

"I know, I know" He smiled guiltily realizing his foolishness.

"I love you" She said with a smile that reached her eyes. The Pie-maker would never grow tired of seeing her smile, nor the way her whole face lit up when she did so.

"I know" He said, sorry for his behavior of the past few minutes.

The look in Chucks eyes convinced the Pie-maker of her sincerity, but still left him feeling as though something was missing. More so, he felt that he was holding the girl he loved back from the life that she deserved. It was a feeling that in the moment he decided to ignore, but a feeling that none the less would not be ignored forever.

* * *

Olive Snook worked the same job everyday in a similar fashion with a similar smile. She served pies and dreamed of a life with the man who made them. These dreams always seemed out of reach, or so she thought. What Olive perceived to be an unrequited love, was in-fact slightly shared, but never spoken. She gazed out the window reminiscing in that moment, dangling from a cliff; the moment when perception changed and gravity had been defied. Olive Snook had learned three things that night. The first being that, when someone says "dead end", it could be because they actually mean they are coming upon a dead end. Second, without her naturally clingy nature, Olive Snook would have never been able have heard the the third fact. Ned, the man she had yearned for what felt like a lifetime, had in-fact, at some point, gazed upon her with the same affection as she did him. Her mind told her that nothing would occur between them as long as he loved another, but her heart continued to hold on just a little bit longer.

* * *

The Pie-Maker stared restlessly at his ceiling. It was late but he couldn't sleep. He knew that the situation he had witnessed earlier had been nothing, but it lingered in his mind. He kicked his legs out, stretched his arms, and craned his neck. Nothing would release the amount of tension that had been building slowly for the past few hours. He turned over and looked on the floor at the large lump of copper fur curled up in a ball. At hearing the sound of his masters voice, he slowly lifted his head and looked at his face in the darkness.

"What if she is missing out on everything because of me? What if there is someone out there who could offer her everything that I can't, a normal life. I love her, but I need to be sure that I'm not holding her back. This is confusing, and you, you have no clue what I'm talking about. I wish I were a dog right now, so much simplicity, no need to worry. So no words of advice?"

Digby tilted his head and whimpered unable to comprehend what his master needed in that moment. He simply played back into the position he had woken from and drifted back to sleep. The Pie-maker envied his ability to rest.

"Look at me I'm talking to a dog and half expecting him to answer." Ned said.

The Pie-maker knew deep down that he did not need an answer from anyone else. He understood that , although he loved Chuck and she loved him, there were some things he would never be able to provide her with. He understood that it would be unfair to keep her from experiencing a normal relationship. One with intimacy that he could never provide. One with the prospect of children perhaps. One where she could share a living space with her significant other without faring for her life if she were to bump into him.

There was no changing his mind. He was not excited about the day that was to come. Tears, that he had been holding back, began to release into his pillow. After hours of waiting, sleep finally greeted him and welcomed him into it's waiting embrace. His dreams that night were bitter sweet.

* * *

Morning had broken, The Pie-maker entered the kitchen and stopped. He took in the picture of Chuck preparing coffee and making her breakfast. She was beautiful, she was amazing, she was his, but not for long.

"Good morning" She said with a cheeky smile.

"Morning" He said, dreading what was to come next. A weak smile presented on his face as he took a seat at the kitchen table.

"I made coffee, and ohh, I thought today we could go over to Emerson's and.."

"Chuck" He said as he felt his heart sink to the bottom of his stomach.

"Yes?" She asked, concerned with the serious tones in his voice.

"We need to talk"


	2. Comfort Food

At this very moment the Pie-maker was ten years, 3 weeks, 5 days, and 17 minutes old when his only friend, at the Longborough School for Boys, discovered how a young Ned had managed to replace the dead frogs in science class with live ones. He had discovered that Ned never replaced them at all, he simply touched them. With his secret revealed and a weight lifted from his shoulders, Ned felt he could be himself. He had finally felt as though he belonged, but that feeling did not last. For the facts were these: The young boy who befriended Ned was in fact the son of a well known scientist who was working on the regeneration of dead tissue, but his improbable and unsuccessful theories caused his reputation to be no more. Too distraught over lost prestige, the boy's father had never taken an interest in his son. That lack of interest only made the boy crave approval more. The boy figured that by befriending someone who could seemingly bring a dead thing back to life, he could eventually gain praise from a father who never gave him a second look. Things did not go as planned. When the boy wrote to his father about the special abilities his new "friend" possessed, his father did show up, but not with welcoming arms. Rather, his father came equipped with a perfectly sized straight jacket and a one way trip to a "special" facility. When Ned had looked at his only friend being taken away, he felt nothing but sadness and regret, for he thought it was his fault. He saw nothing except the look of fear in that boy's eyes as everything he cared about was taken from him. The Pie-maker had never felt so saddened, that was until today.

* * *

"What do you mean you want to break up?" Chuck said, her worried and heartbroken expression was unbearable to look upon, but the Pie-maker stood his ground.

"It isn't fair to you, to keep you from ever having a normal life just because I want you around." He knew she would fight his decision, and he wanted nothing more than to forget about it and pretend everything was fine, but he couldn't.

"That is not your decision to make, if I want to leave I'll leave and I don't want to. I love you. I love our life that we've built." Chuck looked deep into his eyes, almost searching for something that she knew she wouldn't find. He was serious, and when that fact presented itself, so did her tears.

"I love you too, but I really do think this is for the best." Ned looked down, for her expression caused him too great a pain.

The tears began to fall from her eyes, and roll gently down her cheeks.

"I just don't understand. Is it something I did. Is this about yesterday because I explained that to you." She was desperately attempting to find the reason for his sudden change of heart. She didn't understand.

"Its not about yesterday, not completely. Yesterday only made me realize what you can have with someone else." The words spilled from his mouth, and the look of shock on her face made him wish he had phrased things a bit different.

"But I don't want anyone else...you're my whole life." She said through the tears that seemed to continue streaming down her face with no end.

"Chuck I..." This time he was interrupted by her as she exploded with anger and hurt.

"This is not right. I deserve a legitimate explanation. Is there someone else...oh God is it Olive?... Because if it is, you just need to tell me and..." Her thoughts were scattered, and Ned did his best to calm her.

"No...there is no one else, I would never do that to you. This about what is best, for you."

"you... I ... I don't want this. You aren't holding me back or keeping me from anything." She looked at him, pleading him to stop this.

"You don't see it but, I am keeping you from something. You could have a normal life and a normal relationship. I don't want to do this but you have to understand the guilt I feel when I see you hug someone or hold someone's hand. Every other man out there could give you something that I can't and it hurts me."

"What if I'm not happy, without you" She said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Then we will get back together, but not until you try to find happiness outside of...us"

She nodded and began to walk towards the door, looking at her feet as she did so.

"I think it would be best if I left." She said

"No, you don't have to, please stay. Eat your breakfast."

"I'm not hungry anymore." She turned the door knob to open it and started to walk out.

Suddenly, she paused and turned around to face him.

"You're wrong you know. There is no happiness outside of us... not for me."

He flinched as she slammed the door closed.

* * *

At this very moment Olive Snook was serving Pie à la Mode to her friend Emerson Cod when it suddenly occurred to her that over the past few days she had seen the Pie-maker, but no Chuck.

"Have you seen Chuck lately?" She asked, with genuine curiosity.

"Uh-uh, not for a few days, Ned won't talk about it, I'm sensing trouble in paradise" He never looked up at her, solely focused on the delicious looking slice of pie and scoop of ice cream melting on top of it.

Finally he looked up, when he realized she hadn't spoken, and remained frozen in that spot, staring out the window. In that moment Emerson Cod saw a light behind Olive's eyes. It was a light that gave him the well known feeling that trouble was coming.

"Uh-uh, no way itty bitty, you get those thoughts out of your head right now." He pointed his spoon and waved it around, emphasizing each word.

"Thoughts? What thoughts, the only thoughts in my head are ones about comforting two good friends in need of support." She smiled nervously.

"Uh-huh, yea ok." Emerson said, shaking his head in disapproval.

* * *

Olive Snook decided it best to visit her friend in order to aid her recovering heart over the supposed end of her relationship with the Pie-maker. The last few hours of her shift were spent devising a plan to help her friends. At the end of the night, after closing up the Pie-hole, she grabbed her things and walked over to the apartment.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked forcefully on the door, with a bright smile in place.

"Olive what are you.." Chuck began, obviously surprised by her visitor.

"Oh Chuck, I'm so sorry to hear about you and Ned." Olive said sincerely.

"Oh, you heard." Chuck looked down with a sad, far-off expression.

"Yeah, well it was kinda obvious when you haven't been to the Pie Hole in over a week. I got the hint that something was off."

"Sorry about that... I just can't see him, not yet." She said softly, still not looking up.

"I get it. Hey I have got everything we need." She lifted the bag in her left hand proudly, and smiled.

"For what?" Chuck said, finally looking up, and showing the slightest hint of a smile.

"To get over a messy break-up, I've got comfort food galore, but don't worry, no pie. I figured it would be too soon ."

"Oh Olive, thank you!"

"Of course, what are friends for. Now are you gonna let me in or are we doing this in the hallway."

"Of course, come in!" She opened the door further and Olive walked into the living room.

After they had watched three movies, finished off a bottle of white wine, and eaten their way through hours of conversations, it was midnight and time for her to leave. They had talked about everything, with the exception of the Pie-maker. Chuck talked of her aunts and their antics. She talked about her bees, and how much she missed her father sometimes. Olive talked about her parents, how she ached for their attention. She talked about past boyfriends and the awful dates and experiences that accompanied them. Both were happy and comfortable in each others company, as if they had been friends all their lives. Thy laughed and cried and the hour before they had done both at the same time.

Olive had gathered her things and left a sleeping Chuck on the couch. She carefully and quietly turned off all of the lights and closed the door behind her. On her way back home Olive could not resist checking up on her beloved Ned, but she wasn't even sure if he would be awake. She knocked on the door and was surprised when it opened, revealing Ned standing in front of her looking disheveled. She could see that he was in no mood to talk and decided that it might be best if she turned back and went home. Quickly she thought of some excuse she had to leave and pretend she had never knocked on his door in the first place, but she never got the opportunity.

"Ned I.."

Before she could even finish her sentence his hands surrounded her face and brought it closer to his for a kiss. The two had locked lips before but never like this, there was emotion behind it. The type of emotions in particular were unclear but the intentions behind it were not. She didn't know why this was happening and didn't want to. He broke the kiss and stared in her eyes. She was slowly pulled into his apartment and the door closed behind the two, wrapped in each others arms; touching, feeling, kissing.


	3. Seared into my Heart

It had been eight hours, eleven minutes, and 45 seconds, since Olive Snook made the decision to check on the Pie-maker in his state of sadness. This decision had left traces of itself in the form of clothing scattered around his apartment. Now while Olive is laying next to the man she loves, she is contemplating how should could be feeling so wrong.

"Last night was one of the greatest nights of my life, but now I've completely obliterated one of my best friendships." She thought.

Olive got out of bed and decided it would be best to get dressed and go open the Pie Hole. She left Ned peacefully asleep, opened the door and hesitantly left. She also wanted to be sure that no one saw her, but she was unaware that someone had in fact already seen her. That person was Emerson Cod. It did not take the private investigator long to figure out why Olive was leaving the Pie-maker's apartment so early in the morning. She was nervously looking around and carrying some of her clothes in her hands. Emerson did not approve of the actions of his friend and business partner, but he decided that it was not of his concern. He walked into the apartment and found the Pie-maker still asleep.

* * *

"Get up...ugh and put some damn clothes on. We need to get down to the morgue, we've got another case." Emerson said.

"Ugh" realizing he was alone in the bed, "Where's..."

"She snuck out right as I got here, and please, I do not want to here about it. All I want is to go down to the morgue, have you do your.. thing, and collect the money. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT bring me into your mess."

Suddenly a knock at the door startled the both of them.

"Ned?!" A familiar voice proceeded to fill the Pie-maker with anxiety.

"Oh my God it's Chuck. Go get the door I can't, I need to get clothes on." He said scampering out of bed, covering himself with a sheet as he made his way to his closet.

"Uh-uh no way. I am not gonna get..."

"Emerson, Please" The look of fear and the desperate tone in his voice convinced him to help.

"And of course he brought me into his damn mess" He mumbled on his way to the door

"Chuck." He said, greeting her with a fake smile.

"Emerson? Where's Ned?" She asked, attempting to peek into the apartment, but blocked off by his broad shoulders.

"Uhhhh.." He stammered nervously.

"Here I am" said Ned

Emerson released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"Oh, well I just wanted to drop a few things off and get a few things that I left here." She said, holding up a brown cardboard box labeled 'Ned'. His heart dropped to his stomach. The entirety of their relationship, fitting precisely into a small box.

"Um could we possibly do this at another time, Emerson and I have to go investigate a new case."

"Oh perfect, count me in." She said, placing the box down on a table by the door.

"Don't you think..uh...it would be a little awkward all things considered."

"Well I know that we have broken up but that doesn't mean I can't be a part of the team, does it?"

"No, I guess not." He said and smiled

"Good then let's get going."

With awkward stares between the two men Chuck could tell that there was something being kept from her, but she was unsure if she even wanted to know what it was. The three of them drove to the morgue silently, praying every time the car stopped that they'd be able to get out soon. Finally they arrived.

* * *

The undertaker gladly accepted his payment and the investigator and his friends were left alone with the body. A drawer was opened and a body pulled out.

The facts were these, one Bobby Burnheart, a world-renowned grill master, was found dead last night in his own kitchen. His work preparing fine meats allowed him to greet many of the worlds most prestigious leaders and celebrities. Bobby was thirty nine years, eight weeks, four days, 23 hours and eighteen minutes old; and not a minute older. For Bobby Burnheart was charred and crisped on his very own grills. His widow knew that there had been foul-play and demanded justice for her dearly departed husband. With a large reward of twenty thousand dollars, Emerson Cod knew he was the man for the job.

"Well, go on. Touch the damn thing!" Emerson said.

"Alright, alright!"

With a single touch on the arm, the man began to open his eyes.

"Hi there!" Said Bobby.

"Uh hi, big fan. Listen...you are dead, murdered actually, and we are here to ask you who did it."

"Oh gee. I never saw the guy, they came from behind. One minute I am preparing food for a catering event I booked, next thing I knew, it was me on the grill instead of the steaks. But, boy would you look a these grill marks on me, just beautiful."

"Yeah that's creepy...Is there any other information that you think would be helpful? Any enemies you had? Anyone who would want to kill you?"

"Yes in fact, Samuel Stew. He has had it out for me ever since I beat him in a cooking competition. Word got around that he had a bit of breakdown a few years ago and went off the grid for a while. I hope that helps."

"Yes thank you." Said Ned, as he reached out his hand.

"Oh wait!" Shouted Chuck.

"Any last words or wishes or messages?" She said.

"Yes, tell my wife that I love her, and that I forgive her for any mistakes that she might have made in the past. She was my whole life."

"That is very sweet, I will be sure to pass the message along." She said.

Awkward looks were shared between the Pie-maker and his former partner, his former "life".

"Thank you!" Bobby said.

"Ok time to go" Ned said anxiously.

And with a single touch the man once again went back to being a lifeless, evenly cooked, corpse.

"Ok, I will see you two back at the Pie Hole, meanwhile I'm gonna interview the wife and try to locate this Samuel guy."

* * *

Back at the Pie Hole, Olive Snook had been messing up orders and tables, much to the dismay of the customers. Her mind was off in another world. She couldn't help but think about what last night meant for her relationship with Ned, and for her friendship with Chuck. Wracked with guilt and confusion she was startled by the ringing of the bell as the Pie-maker entered...with Chuck.

"Uh, hi Olive"

"Hi...Ned"

"Can we talk?" Asked Ned.

she gulped and suddenly felt as though her feet were cemented to the ground.

"In the back please?" he asked

"Sure."

She lifted her feet with all her force and still they dragged on the floor.

Chuck went around to the tables making sure every person got what they ordered while Ned and Olive went off to talk.

"Listen, Olive about last night, I really need Chuck not to find out."

"I thought you two were broken up."

"We were, well we are. The thing is that if she found out, it would only hurt her because it was so soon after the break-up.. it would just be better if we kept this between us, and Emerson."

"Emerson knows?"

"Yeah he kinda saw you leaving this morning."

"Oh ... Do you think that we could see each other again, maybe in a few weeks, or..."

"Olive, I just think I need a little time after my relationship with Chuck, and last night was amazing, really amazing, but..."

"But it was a mistake." She said, looking down at the ground as the tears began to swell in her eyes.

"Olive, please don't get upset. I like you, I really do but its just too soon."

"No, no I understand." She said shakily

"I think my shift is over, so I'm just...I'm just gonna go" She said, wiping a tear from her eyes.

"Olive please..."

"Ned, I'm fine really. I just really have to go" She decided she needed to run out before she completely lost control of her emotions.

Chuck stopped pouring coffee due to the commotion she heard back in the kitchen. Then suddenly she saw Olive running out with tears streaming down her face. Chuck walked back to the kitchen.

"What the hell was that? Why is Olive crying? And while I am asking questions, what was going on this morning in your apartment with Emerson?"

"Chuck...I.." Ned said unable to form words.

"Well? I'm waiting. Time for an explanation" She said crossing her arms.


	4. Dropping the Other Shoe

The Pie-maker stood frozen, almost as if time itself had stopped and the world had ceased rotation, but it hadn't. Time was still ticking away, the earth continued to rotate, and Chuck was still in front of the Pie-maker, waiting for answers to very difficult questions.

"Hello? I'm waiting. Stop staring at me with your mouth open and start talking." Yelled Chuck.

"Uhh, sorry to interrupt but another body just came up. It's that Stew guy I was gonna talk to. I still have questions, but they ain't gonna be answered without a special someone to wake him up." Ned silently thanked his friend for the perfectly timed interruption. Emerson, did not seem to pick up on the situation at hand, and did not seem to care.

"Sorry Chuck, duty calls. We can finish this conversation later can't we?" Ned said quickly.

"Uh.." She was taken aback, and had no argument to keep him.

"And since Olive isn't here could you maybe sit this one out and keep the Pie Hole running while I'm gone? Thanks!"

"Uh, Ned I really don't think that I..."

The bell on the front door rings.

"...and he's gone"

* * *

The investigator and The Pie-maker go to the morgue where another piece to the puzzle awaits. The facts were these: One Samuel Stew was thirty-six years, 4 months, 3 weeks, 6 days, eight hours, and forty-three minutes old, when he met his brothy demise. Samuel Stew was found this morning with his head in granite ware pot. Having drowned in his own stew recipe, he was killed by the only thing that gave his life meaning. His assistant Chef found the body and reported it to the authorities, who were quick to assume that his death had little to no connection to that of Bobby Burnheart's.

"This most definitely has connections to the death of Bobby Burnheart" Said Emerson.

"You think so?" Asked Ned.

"Well I can't know for sure until you wake him the hell up and ask him!"

"Right, sorry"

Ned looked down at his watch and pressed the side, he reached out his hand. With one touch, life once again inhabited the body of Mr. Stew.

"AHHHH" He shrieked.

"Mr. Stew it's ok."

"Geez, I must've been dreaming. Who the hell are you?"

"You probably weren't dreaming, actually you definitely weren't dreaming; you died. We are investigators trying to help solve a murder. Did you know Bobby Burnheart?"

"Yeah, That son of a bitch stole my trophy years ago. It cost me my career."

"Did you kill him?"

"What? No! I hated that guy, but I wouldn't kill him."

"Do you have any idea who killed Bobby? Or you for that matter?"

"I didn't see who killed me. By the time I noticed I wasn't alone in my kitchen, it was too late. I never saw the persons face. As for Bobby, all I can say is a guy like that had a lot of people wanting to take his place."

"Seeing as you don't have much of the information that we need, my last question is if you have...anything you'd like to say before...you have to go."

"Yeah...Tell my mother that I love her. Also make sure my brother doesn't take my dog, that idiot can't keep a sea monkey alive for more than a week. Tell my sister Julia to take him, she hates dogs but I know she'll do it anyway. Can't refuse the last wish of a dead man, can you?"

"No, I guess not. I'll be sure that she gets the dog. And I'll relay the message to your mother." Ned said.

"Thank you."

With fifty-eight seconds gone the Pie-maker had no choice but to return Mr. Stew to his deceased state, even without having gathered the information that they needed.

"Well that was no help at all. Two bodies, neither one saw who killed them. And some questions with some vague ass answers."

"Yeah. You said that Mr. Stew had an assistant chef?" Asked Ned.

"Yeah, that's the guy who found him this morning. Why?"

"Did Mr. Burnheart have one as well? I mean someone anxious to take his place, maybe that's worth looking into."

"I'll ask the wife if she knows of any assistants he might've had."

"Ok, oh and by the way thanks for saving me this morning."

"Uh-uh no, I needed you here. I saw you were in the kitchen and I needed you to work your magic and help with the case nothing more, nothing less. I am in no way a part of your lady drama. All I know is that you better fix it cause I do not need extra crazy. I got plenty of my own crazy."

"You're right I need to fix things between me and Olive. Plus I owe Chuck an explanation, but I know that she is going to hate me. I hate myself for doing all this. It's like I'm a tornado ruining everything in my path."

"Yeah, you a tornado alright. I'm not gonna get sucked in I know that for sure."

* * *

A week and a half passed by. The assistant chefs were in fact found guilty for the murders of Bobby Burnheart and Samuel Stew. It had taken the investigative team longer than expected to track the killers down and bring them to justice. The Pie-maker had been preoccupied with the strange way Olive had been acting. Avoiding eye contact and conversation. The only time she spoke was to take orders from the customers. Chuck had tried several times to talk to Olive or to get together after work, but excuses were in an abundance as of late. Chuck became angered by the information being kept from her, but hoped that it would resolve itself soon so that she could have her friend back. After the second week had come to an end, Olive decided she needed guidance. She went to the one person she knew would understand her predicament.

"Lily? It's Olive...I...I need your help." Olive yelled while knocking on the front door.

Suddenly the door swung open to reveal a slightly exhausted and very agitated Lilian staring ferociously at Olive. Her mood shifted when she saw the tears in Olive's eyes and recognized the look of guilt and sadness in her face.

"What the hell happened to you?"

"May I come in?" She said, her jittery stance caused Lilian to raise her brow in curiosity.

"Sure but keep it down. It's late and Vivian's asleep." She swung the door open and ushered Olive in.

"Alright." Olive said, removing her jacket and making her way into the living room. She sat in a chair facing the the couch and Lily sat opposite her.

"Ok, spill it" Lilian said agitated, while pouring a drink.

After explaining her predicament to Lilian, the two continued talking about what Olive is to do next.

"So you finally get the man of your dreams, but you're overcome with guilt because he was dating a friend of yours. Then he tells you the whole thing was a mistake and you ran out crying. Why are you telling me this again? Why don't you just tell the Pie man how you truly feel and tell him that it's now or never?"

"If I do that I could drive him away, it might be too much for him. Plus my friend would never talk to me again."

"You screwed her boyfriend, I'm pretty sure that friendship is dead as dirt." Lilian said, taking another sip of her drink.

"Hey! They were broken up!" Olive said, crossing her arms defensively.

"For more than a week?" Lilian asked.

"They were broken up and that's what matters."

"Not to her. Haven't you ever heard of the girl code or whatever the hell it's called?"

"You're one to talk." Olive said with anger in every word.

"Yes, you're right but I am the freakin poster woman for this situation. Look at my life, I ended up losing everything in order to protect my secrets. I lost my daughter, I lost the love of my life, and I have to live with that every damn day." Her words became choked up, but she quickly dismissed it, not being one to display such emotions.

"I'm sorry." Olive said sympathetically.

"Don't be sorry. You have to put yourself out there. Your friendship with the other woman is probably non existent once she finds out. Unless you value your relationship with her over your relationship with him, go after him. Then again it's up to you, not me, to make these choices."

"I love Ned, but I don't feel like he loves me back. At least not in the capacity he loved her. I love being friends with her and she was there for me when no one else was."

"If you told him you wanted to be together, what would he do?" She asked.

Olive thought long and hard about the answer to that question. Having asked herself the very same thing a million times in her own mind. The normally optimistic Olive Snook had lost hope. Her perception of the world was no longer through rose colored glasses. "Wouldn't say never" suddenly became no. She now sees those words as a kind man appeasing the wishes of a woman dangling before her death. She found her answer, and it was not the one she had dreamed of for all those years. It was not an answer she'd like to hear, let alone say.

"He'd push me away. He'd tell me that it was too soon for him to move on from her. He'd say that maybe someday in the distant future we could try to make it work, but it probably would never happen. It's probably just not meant to be." The tears began to fall from her eyes and make their way down her cheeks.

"Well then, there's no use in telling her. Ruining the friendship is pointless if you and Ned are not going to get together. Just pretend like it never happened and move on." Lilian said, as t were factual and the obvious answer to anyone.

Olive began to laugh sarcastically through her tears.

"If only it were that simple." Olive said, shaking her head.

"What do you mean?" Lilian asked, confused.

"Let's just say...Our situations are more similar than I let on"

"You mean you're..." She couldn't even bring herself to say the word.

"Yes." She whimpered.

"Oh great... Well kid, you're really in it now!" Lilian said, chugging what remained of her drink. It was going to be a long night.


	5. Old Habits Die Hard

It had been three weeks, 2 days, and three hours since the Pie-maker had last seen Olive Snook. He had known that something like this would happen, since she ran out crying several weeks prior. The Pie-maker knew that he was the one responsible for causing such a reaction. Now she left, he assumed she had become fed up with the tension and awkwardness of working so close with him. His guilt had mounted within him, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to release said guilt until he talked to her. After week one he had dropped by her apartment to attempt a reconciliation, but all he found was a note telling him that she had gone on a much needed vacation; and that she wouldn't be back for several months. A little under nine months to be exact, but the Pie-maker didn't know that. He went back to the Pie-hole and hoped, every time the bell rang out, it would be Olive returning early. Instead it continued to be costumers, hungry for pie. Once again he looked up half expecting to see the petite blonde standing in the doorway. When his eyes snapped back into reality he saw the face of someone he recognized, but this woman was taller with darker, brown hair. It was Chuck.

"Uhh, Hi." Ned blurted out.

"Hi" she smiled back.

suddenly Emerson walked over.

"You were right." He said.

"I knew it."

"Chuck? What are you right about?"

"Dead girl had me look into itty bitty's little disappearing act. So, I went into her apartment..."

"Don't you think that's an invasion of Olive's privacy?" asked Ned.

"Do you wanna hear what I gotta say, or are you gonna give me a lesson on morality?" Said Emerson in his sarcastic tone.

Ned nodded and Emerson turned back towards Chuck to tell her of his findings.

"All of her things were still there, including her suitcase. I didn't see anything out of place, and after taking a closer look at the note she left on the door, I realized, it isn't her hand writing." Emerson said.

"Well whose is it?" Ned asked.

"Hell if I know, what am I some kinda Graphoanalyst? All I know is that something ain't right, and I am not gonna stop looking until I find out what it is."

The Pie-makers eyes widened in fear of what might have happened to someone he cared so deeply about. His throat tightened and jaw clenched. He winced at the possibility that she might be hurt, or taken, or dead. With his heart in the pit of his stomach, the Pie-maker did not want to dwell on such thoughts. A familiar voice pulled him out of the void of his own mind and back to what most refer hereto as, reality .

"Ned? Are you alright?" asked Chuck.

"uhhh, yeah just...I'm worried."

"I am too, that's why I asked Emerson to help. We'll find her, I have faith."

"Here's the note. Maybe you can see something I don't"

Emerson carefully removed the note from his jacket's inner pocket and handed it to Chuck. Chucks eyes immediately widened at the familiar sight.

"What is it?" Ned asked nervously.

"This writing... it's Lillian's...she wrote this."

* * *

While the Pie-maker, the private investigator, and the girl called "Chuck" continued their investigation; Olive Snook and Lily Charles opened the gates to a place that was familiar to the both of them.

"Sister Olive, how lovely to see you again. What brings you back to the Sisters of the Divine Magnatum?" Asked Mother Superior.

"I've come back to..check up on everyone, see how the truffles are doing. I really missed..."

"She's knocked-up and in need of a place to stay." Lilian stated nonchalantly.

"Oh...my...well, sister Olive, we welcome you back no matter the circumstances."

"Thank you." She stated shyly.

"Please, both of you, come in. We'll get you settled and have a conversation about what's to happen during...and after your stay. I assume this child will be given up for adoption?"

"I hadn't really thought about that, I...I don't know." Olive stuttered

"It's alright, we'll discuss it later. There's plenty of time. This is a difficult choice for anyone. Let me show you to your room."

The three women walked through the halls, filled with echoes of hymnal praise and devotion. As they walked, Olive considered two pathways. One, was filled with happiness and devastation. The other was filled with secrecy and regrets, but calmness. The choices were obvious. Either keep the child and wreck havoc in the lives of those she holds closest to her, or give the child away, breaking her heart to spare the hearts of others. There was no right choice, no matter what, someone would get hurt. It was choosing who to hurt that caused Olive so much trouble. She began to think about a life that would never be. A house filled with the laughter of children, pies baking in the oven, and the man behind the apron making them. she began to feel a flutter in her stomach, that familiar feeling that all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room, began.

"Well sister Olive, here we are. This will be your room for the duration of your stay. I will come back later to..."

That feeling of lacking oxygen had been all too real. Olive felt her body go light and her eyes roll back. The world went black, and the shouts from Mother Superior and Lily Charles were the last thing Olive heard before losing consciousness completely.

"Olive?!"

"Olive?!"

"Huh?" Mumbled Olive

"You fainted dear. You've been asleep for a few hours now."

"The baby.." she grunted

"We had a doctor examine you. You're alright. The baby is fine."

"Where's Lily?"

"She's just outside the door. She drifted off to sleep herself about twenty minutes ago. I told her that you were fine and she could go, but she insisted upon staying. She wanted to make sure that you were alright herself."

The tears began to well in her eyes and spill down her cheeks. She slowly sat up and looked into the eyes of Mother Superior.

"I...I've made my decision. I can't keep this child. I'd like to give it up for adoption."

"If that's what you want. I will draw up the paperwork and make the proper arrangements. Sister Olive, just so you know, you have the right to change your mind. Just make sure that this is the right choice."

Olive nodded.

"Please, I'd like to be alone now if you don't mind." Olive said shyly.

"Of course"

Olive laid back down on her pillow, saturating it with her salty tears. She was unaware that someone had been listening in on what she told mother Superior. It was someone who understood what she was going through, for thirty years before, she was in the exact same place. A single tear fell from Lilian's eye, and she knew that Olive could not go through with the adoption. She knew that it would be the final blow that would break her heart... permanently. Knowing that it was not her place, and not caring, Lilian decided to act on behalf of her friend. She got up, and left. She knew exactly what she had to do, and she knew that it was going to potentially ruin any friendship she had developed with Olive, but she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she didn't at least try to help her.

After driving for what felt like a life time, Lily Charles came across the pie-shaped building and entered through the door. There was a certain hush and an awkward look shared amongst the Pie-maker and his friend Emerson Cod. What she was unaware of is, that seconds before opening the door her, supposed to be dead, daughter had ducked underneath the counter to avoid being seen.

"Lily!...What are you doing here? Can I help you with something?" he smiled nervously.

"Yes, I'd like to talk to you... in private. It's important."

"Funny, we were just about to go see you." Emerson said.

"Why?"

"We know that you left this note on Olive's apartment door. Would you like to tell us why."

Emerson said while lifting the note off the counter to present it to her.

"Yes, that's what I wanted to talk to Ned about, now if we could please..."

She started walking towards the kitchen, but in fear that she might see Chuck, he wanted to keep her on the other side of the counter.

"Wait!"

She stopped dead in her tracks.

"What?"

"It's just, we're all friends here. We don't really have secrets."

Emerson began to chuckle. The Pie-maker shot him a look that quickly ceased the slight laughter.

"Like I was saying, we don't have secrets. Anything you want to say to me, you can say to Emerson too."

"Alright then. Olive is at The Sisters of of the Divine Magnatum.."

"What? Why?" Ned said.

"If you'd let me finish...She's pregnant. It's yours." She said pointing to the Pie-maker.

Ned's eyes widened in shock. His throat tightened once more and he disappeared into his mind.

"I just thought you should know. She intends on giving the baby away, but I think that would be a mistake."

The Pie-maker was unable to comprehend all that had been said, he was unable to move. Emerson Cod, flabbergasted , decided it would be best if he left. After seeing the expression of shock and confusion on the Pie-makers face Lily decided it would be best if she left as well. She was sadly unaware that in helping the girl she viewed as a daughter, she broke the heart of the girl who was her daughter. Chuck had been under the counter throughout the entire conversation. After hearing her mother leave, she slowly stood up. Her face was covered in tears. Ned broke out of his state of shock only to see Chuck staring back at him. Her face blatantly said what she could not bring herself to form into words. He saw the pain and hurt he had caused, the tears that he made her cry. she brought herself to utter a single question.

"There's no one else, right?" she said sarcastically as tears fell from her face.

Before he could say a word, she was out the door. The Pie-maker was left alone in the silence, with his thoughts and his pies.


	6. Confrontation

It had been three days, four hours, and forty-five minutes since Lilian Charles had visited the Pie-maker, not only forever altering his life, but also informing him of the life that he had helped formed within Olive Snook. The realization that he would be a father was suddenly overshadowed by the thought that, unless he stopped Olive from giving their child away, he'd never get the chance.

Emerson, who had been sitting in a booth eating his usual rhubarb pie à la mode, decided for once that he had seen enough of the Pie-maker's suffering. He walked over to him with the intent to share his advice on the situation.

"You need to get off your sorry ass and go see her!"

"Huh?"

"You heard me! It has been three days and you haven't done anything but mope around and make pies. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and go see Olive."

"That's not true I've done more than baking and moping. I helped you solve that case. We locked those assistant chefs up and collected money. See? More than just baking and moping."

"Not much. You didn't even remember to take your cut of the reward until I handed it to you. Your head is somewhere else. You're too distracted, so you need to drive your sorry ass to the convent and talk to Olive."

"What if she doesn't want to see me? What if she never does? What if.."

"Enough with the damn 'what if's'. You won't know anything unless you talk to her. Listen, take my advice or don't, but I know that the longer you wait the harder this conversation is gonna be."

"I know. You're right, I just don't even know what to say."

"That, is where my advice ends. I accept payment in the form of pie, or cash, cash is good too."

The Pie-maker began to walk away.

"Or just walk away."

"Take another slice of rhubarb, on the house."

"Thank you."

"I'm closing early. It's a long drive to the Sisters of the Divine Magnatum. When the last person leaves, just lock the door and turn out the lights. You don't mind do you? I mean you were the one who told me..."

"Go. before I change my mind."

"Thanks!"

"Mmmhmm...that's the last time I hand out advice."

The Pie-maker tossed the keys to a very unenthused Emerson.

"You can have as much pie as you want today, on the house. Thanks again Emerson."

"Uh-huh."

* * *

While the Pie-maker went on his way, Olive Snook went about her daily chores. Lily had dropped pigby off yesterday to keep her company, and to aid in the finding and pulling of the truffles.

"Pigyby, Pull!"

With that command, the oinking Pigby gleefully pulled yet another truffle out from under the ground.

"Good job! I think it's time for lunch, hopefully it's better than the morning porridge. Come on Pigby."

"Oh! sister Olive, thank goodness I found you. You have a visitor."

"Who?"

"They didn't say who, but Mother Superior said that they would be waiting in your quarters."

"Ok."

Confused, Olive made her way to her room. She assumed the the "mysterious" visitor was just Lilian checking up on her again. She was wrong.

"Chuck?"

She could tell that Chuck had been crying. Her words were coated with sadness and anger.

"How long?"

"What? Chuck what are you doing here, how did you find me?"

"How long have you been sleeping with Ned?"

"I..I haven't been..."

"Please don't lie, I'm so sick of the lies. Ned breaks up with me out of the blue, he said there was no one else. Now I find out that you're pregnant with his child."

"How...did you.."

"Lilian. She barged into the pie hole a few nights ago. She told Ned where to find you, and that you were pregnant. I overheard the whole conversation."

"Chuck, please let me explain."

"Alright. Explain. Explain why my best friend would go behind my back and have a child with my boyfriend. Please I'm dying to hear the truth."

"I never slept with Ned while you two were together. You have to believe that. I would never do that to you. That night that I went to comfort you after I found out about the split...after I left your house...I went to check on Ned...it just sorta happened. I'm so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen."

"Goodbye Olive."

"Chuck please don't go!"

"No, I need to go. I have to catch my flight."

"Flight to where?"

"To see the world. To get away from all of this, and to finally do what I've always wanted to. I don't know if I can ever forgive you...but just know that I agree with Lily. Don't be so quick to give your child away. Just because I don't forgive you, doesn't mean I want to see you suffer, or Ned for that matter."

Olive smiled through her tears.

"And Olive. There's a lot about Ned...that you don't know, but you should."

"What do you mean?"

"Why don't you ask him and find out?"

With that, the girl called Chuck went on her way. Having planned the next year of her life, in as many different countries as she could, she realized that even though she lost the Pie-maker, she gained back her sense of adventure. Her curiosity drove her to explore, and now that she was free to do that, she would. She was not "lonely tourist" Charlotte Charles, she was independent Chuck, going on the adventures she had always read about.

* * *

After several hours of reflection, Olive was interrupted once again.

"Sister Olive, I hate to bother you again, but you have another visitor."

"Another visitor? If it's Lily, tell her that I don't want to see her."

"It isn't Lilian, it's a gentleman. He says his name is..."

"Ned."

"Yes, Ned. He says he wants to talk to you and that it is of the utmost importance."

"I don't know...I.."

"Olive?"

"Ned?"

"I'm sorry, he really wouldn't take no for an answer."

The young sister ran off, and Ned entered the room.

"What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here, Olive? What are you doing here. Why didn't you tell me."

"Why didn't I tell you? You mean after you crushed all hopes I had of us getting together? Why didn't I tell you that I was pregnant. What was I supposed to do, please tell me!"

"Olive, Lilian said that you wanted to give the baby up for adoption?"

"I don't know what I want anymore. After Chuck came earlier I..."

"Chuck was here? You two talked? What did she say?"

"She's upset. She has every right to be. What I did...what we did, hurt her."

"I know. It's my fault."

"You weren't the only one participating, if I'm remembering correctly."

"Olive, please come home. There's no use in hiding away anymore."

"I don't know."

"We can figure this all out...together."

"Ned, there was something else I needed to ask. Chuck said that there have been things that you've kept from me. Things that I should know. If you want me to come back, tell me the truth. What are you hiding?"

"Olive..I.."

Suddenly they both stopped as they heard blood curdling scream come from down the hall.

"AHHHHHHH"

Without hesitation they both ran in the direction of the sound. They found one of the sisters leaning over a collapsed Mother Superior.

"She...She just...we were walking.. she grabbed her arm and collapsed." The sister cried

"Go let the others know what happened, but tell them to stay out of this hallway. Olive is she breathing?"

"No I don't think so. Let me check for a pulse."

Olive reached under Mother Superiors habit to feel for a pulse. As soon as Olive's fingers came into contact with the woman's skin, Mother Superior opened her eyes and gasped. Olive jumped back, but the second that they lost contact, Mother Superior closed her eyes and ceased breathing once more.

"What was that? Did you see that? Ned?"

"Yeah...I saw it Olive."


	7. Wake-up Call

"Nnned? What was that? You saw that? I mean, I just touched her and she...she..she.."

"Olive, Olive. Calm down. We need to talk. I can help maybe explain some of what's going on, but right now we need to handle this."

He pointed at Mother Superior who lay dead on the floor in front of them.

"We can't move her...I...I can't touch her again." Olive said nervously

"Yeah... well, neither can I. I'm going to call the authorities and let them know what's going on."

"Wait...don't leave me alone. Please."

"I'll be right back...just sit here and close your eyes, but if you hear anyone headed this way turn them around and send them somewhere else. We don't want to cause a panic."

"Ok. Please, hurry back."

When Olive Snook looked into the Pie-makers eyes, he saw fear for what had happened and trust in him to make it alright. It was a look similar to that of a child running to their parent after having had a nightmare. He felt glad that his presence made her feel safe, then guilty when he had to take that away, no matter for how short of a time. After ten minutes on the phone with the local police station, a representative was sent from the coroners office to inspect the scene, and remove the body.

"Don't you work near Coeur d'Coeurs? Wouldn't this case be out of your jurisdiction?" Ned asked.

"Ain't you the dog expert?"

"Point taken. So...do you know the cause of death?"

"I'm unable to release said information until the forms and such get filed."

There was a pause. The medical examiner simply stood silent, staring at the Pie-maker.

The Pie-maker quickly understood and pulled out the cash that the man silently asked for.

"Heart attack. That is... as far as I can tell. I'm not allowed to take the body for further examination, it says so in the woman's will."

"Heart attack? Are you sure? I mean Mother Superior led a healthy lifestyle, no one in here has access to junk food. She always takes long walks for exercise. It just doesn't make sense." Olive said.

"Could be a family history, I just know what I know. I've been doing this a long time, it looks to me like a heart attack." he said

"Ok...well thank you." Ned said.

The medical examiner left almost as quickly as he had arrived.

"Sisters...and guests. There will be a memorial service for Mother Superior tomorrow, right after mid-morning prayers. Let us all gather then, in our grief, to pay our respects. She will be buried tomorrow at sun down. Now, it has been an eventful afternoon, so we will be serving dinner in two hours. Until then we shall go about our day as normally as possible, it's what she would have wanted. After dinner we will cancel all activities and resign to our rooms for quiet reflections. If anyone feels the need to talk with someone, or if you are in need of counseling, my door is always open. This is a difficult situation to process, but we will get through it together, so long as we keep our good faith in the Lord." As father Ed finished his speech, the sisters began to go back to their daily chores. He walked over to Ned.

"If you wouldn't mind leaving, I think it would be best for the sisters if they went back to their normal routine." he said

"Of course, but could I have a minute with Olive? We really need to talk...in private."

"Two minutes. Sister Olive has her work to do. Any longer than two minutes and she'll be given extra chores as penance. I don't make the rules, but I must enforce them."

The father walked out of the room, and suddenly it was just Olive and the Pie-maker.

"So...you said you could maybe explain what the heck happened earlier? Go ahead, please enlighten me. And do not tell me that I'm going crazy because I really can't handle that." She begged.

"Olive...you're not crazy...but this conversation...it would take me longer than two minutes to explain. If you come home, I'll explain everything. Please, say you'll come back."

"One condition. If I come back, no more secrets. I'm so done with secrets and lies...and exclusivity. I want to be involved in those clandestine talks you always have in the booth, or the hushed conversations that always get interrupted by my being there. I always feel so left out. Even if I'm right next to you, I'm still missing something."

"I'm sorry for making you feel that way. And yes... I'll tell you everything. No more secrets, I promise."

For the first time in a long time, the Pie-maker saw a genuine smile from Olive.

"I'll come with you, but I'd like to stay one more day. Pay my respects to Mother Superior. Come back for me tomorrow?"

"Of course."

In that moment, the Pie-maker wanted to embrace her, but as he took a step forward he paused unable to move any further. His attempts were interrupted as the father reentered the room, to let them both know their time was up. Olive informed the father of her plans to leave the following day. Unfazed, but slightly disappointed, the father wished her the best of luck. Still he let her know that chores needed to be done regardless of how much longer she'd be at the convent, therefore she would need to part ways with her guest straight away.

"Goodbye Ned."

"Goodbye Olive. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See ya."

With that, the Pie-maker left. That night neither slept, too awake with ideas of what was to come. The questions that stirred within them would have answers in the new day, it was what those answers would be that kept them awake. As the morning came around, the Pie-maker had been sitting on his bed. He was fully dressed and ready to go back to the convent, but felt that he had to wait, as to not arrive too early. Olive Snook had been up and ready as well, waiting for the Pie-maker, but the convent had been buzzing about with morning prayers and talk of funeral plans for hours. After the memorial service, which directly followed mid-morning prayers, Olive felt it was time to go. Ned arrived an hour later, anxious to get back to the comforting routine he had at The Pie Hole. It was a routine which depended on the one person who kept it running, and now she would be coming back. She came out the front doors, wearing the outfit she had first arrived in, Pigby following close behind her.

"Hey." he said shyly

"Hi."

"Ready?"

She nodded.

After getting Pigby in the back seat, he opened the door to allow her to get in the car. Before she could sit down in the passenger seat, they heard a scream that caused them to stop. They shared a look of concern and made their way back into the convent. Upon entering they found a sister sobbing over father Ed.

"He...he collapsed...grabbed his arm... Just like Mother Superior..." The sister muttered

"Ned. I think this means..."

"It means they were murdered."

And with that, the Pie-maker and Olive Snook had a case in need of solving.


	8. The Pig Didn't Do It

As the news of the death of Father Ed spread throughout the once silent halls, speak of murder and impending doom began circulation. The Pie-maker and the girl named Olive were in need of assistance in solving the case. They knew only one person who could handle the job.

"Alright people coming through, watch it sister." The private investigator moved through a sea of blue habits to get to his friends.

"Emerson! Thank God you're here." Olive smiled.

"No need to thank the big guy upstairs, you needed my services, and I came."

"Really..Cause I was thinking that maybe you came because you...missed me?" she grinned.

"No. There's a case, and you needed my help."

"Well I missed you." It didn't take the private investigator long to detect that what she stated was entirely too true.

"Fine, maybe I was a little concerned..."

"So in other words...you missed me?"

"Alright, alright that's enough. Anyway, there's more important things than my feelings. I here itty bitty's getting her own itty bitty soon enough. You won't here me say it again, but I'm happy for you. Congratulations."

Olive began to tear up, for it was the first time anyone had congratulated her for her impending motherhood."Thank you Emerson."

Both Olive and Emerson turned around to face the Pie maker as he approached them.

"Hey, guys. So after the medical examiner came to the same conclusion as Mother Superior, they moved the body. If we go in the chapel, we'll be able to...uhh...investigate more thoroughly." Ned said.

"Are we sure it wasn't the damned pig this time?"

"Hey! Pigby is innocent, and the first time wasn't really his fault anyway. Now, if you'll stop patronizing my pig, let's get to work." Olive walked forward, pushing her way through the crowd to get into the silent and empty chapel.

"Not to poke around in your business, but... have you to talked about...everything yet?"

They continued to walk towards the chapel while he answered Emerson's question.

"We were saving the longer conversations for the ride home, but Emerson I need to tell you something. It's really important."

As they entered the chapel and the door closed behind them, Olive appeared. She had been waiting for them to enter before moving any closer to the deceased.

"Should she be in here? I mean, when we...investigate?" Asked Emerson.

"That's actually what I needed to talk to you about." Ned said.

"She knows?" Emerson Asked

"Yes..and no...it's complicated." Ned continued on.

"What's complicated?" Olive asked.

"Olive, can you do me a favor?"

"Sure."

"I need you to touch Father Ed."

The look of confusion on the private investigators face could've been seen for miles, but his curiosity dared him not to say a word.

"Ned...I...I can't."

"It's ok. trust me."

The three of them walked closer towards the alter, where the body lay waiting. Emerson continued to hold his tongue and watch. The Pie-maker and Olive approached the body. Olive hesitantly stuck out her hand to touch Father Ed's. She closed her eyes tightly and snapped her hand back.

"Ned...I'm scared." She pleaded

"Olive, I'm right here. It's ok."

She nodded and reached her hand out once more. She kept her eyes on Ned. Her shaking hand finally reached Father Ed's and she held on tightly to it. The second that contact was made, Father Ed opened his eyes and looked around in confusion. Emerson looked at the entire scene as if he had just seen a ghost.

"Sister Olive? What's going on here?"

Olive, who had been looking at Ned the whole time, was startled by father Ed speaking and she quickly removed her hand. As soon as she did the father went back to his lifeless state.

"She has the...the ..thingy too? Is **anyone** normal anymore. How...how.. **how**?" Emerson stuttered, but The Pie-maker and Olive were too consumed by their own conversation to answer Emerson."

"Too? You mean?...Ned?"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you...I was going to...on the way home, but then this whole thing happened"

"Wait, Emerson knows. And Chuck...she...this is what you were hiding. You didn't trust me...I knew you before Emerson...I loved you before you were with Chuck...and you didn't... I think I should go check on Pigby."

Olive ran off and out of the chapel.

"Are you gonna tell me what the hell is going on? Why can she...she...she can...she can do the thing." Emerson could not remember a time when he was so inarticulate, but the shock of the situation had left him at a loss for words.

"I don't know. We only learned about it yesterday, when Mother Superior died, she reached out to feel for a pulse. I think it has to do with..."

"The baby. Which means, your kid is gonna be as messed up as you."

"Hey! I'm not messed up"

Emerson simply stared at him with an implied meaning behind the look.

"mmmmhmmm"

"I'm not messed up...I'm gonna go talk to Olive, you watch over the Priest."

"Oh goody...dead guy duty."

"I'll be back, just make sure there are no...disturbances."

"Go on."

The Pie-maker ran off to find Olive. As soon as he opened the door, over a hundred nuns looked to the Pie-maker in anticipation of a statement that would put the case to rest. Unfortunately, no such statement would be made.

"Sorry, nothing yet. Has anyone seen Olive?"

"She went outside to feed the pig." shouted a random nun within the crowd.

"Thank you sister."

Ned made his way outside where Olive knelt in a patch of grass. Pigby eating out of her hand, she looked upset, but she did not acknowledge the Pie-maker's presence.

"Olive, can I explain?"

"Go ahead." She didn't look at him, but instead continued to pet Pigby.

"You have to understand, I've never told anyone about my...situation...never on purpose. With Emerson, he was in pursuit of a criminal when I inadvertently used my 'power' and he saw. We struck up a deal. It's a lot easier to solve murder cases when you can wake the victim up and ask who killed them. So I touch them once, ask questions, touch them again, and collect the reward."

"What aout Chuck?"

"Chuck was let in on the secret because..."

"Because you used it on her. She...tried to tell me. I figured it out, but I was missing a large piece of the puzzle. I just assumed she faked her death, but she really died?"

"On that cruise. She was murdered. When I woke her up, I couldn't bring myself to...touch her the second time."

"Why twice?"

"First touch life, second touch...death, for good."

"So that's why you two never touched?"

"Yes. In those sixty seconds I realized that I didn't care about the consequences, I was selfish. I don't regret my decision, but I should've let her go sooner than later."

"Consequences..."

"Sixty seconds...I only get sixty seconds until I have to touch the person again or else...someone else has to take their place."

"So someone else has to die? If you kept Chuck alive who..."

"The funeral director, but he was not a good person."

"Do you control who gets killed?"

"No. It's more of a random proximity thing."

"So a good person, who was close enough to you or Chuck, could have died in her place?"

"Yes, but they didn't. I wasn't really thinking, but it worked out in the end."

There was a long pause. The Pie-maker could see her processing the information, like one would when attempting to solve a complicated mathematical problem.

"Digby...I've never seen you actually touch...did you..?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

She paused again and stared off as if her mind had abandoned the rest of her.

"Olive?"

She finally looked into his eyes.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" She asked.

"I didn't think you'd understand, I was nervous...the less people who knew, the better."

"This is all very complicated. It's a liitle much, a lot much, and...and.." She babbled

She paused and looked at him as though studying his every feature.

"Are the rules the same for my...my..."

"I don't know, it seems different. Every time you break contact, the person goes back to being dead, that's not how it works for me. Since your ability is different than mine, I think its best if you don't use it too much. I only asked you to do it back there to be sure it was true...and to show Emerson. I think that should be the last time though. We just don't understand the 'rules' for you yet. I just think it's the safest way."

"I agree. Trust me I am not itching to touch any dead bodies...it''s all so..."

"Crazy?"

She nodded.

"Yeah...But maybe...if you saw the process and how it works...for me, you'd understand it a little more." he suggested.

"You want me, to come with you, when you..?"

"I just thought maybe..."

"No, no I'll come."

She pats Pigby on the head after he finished his food, and followed the Pie-maker back into the convent. The two gently push their way through the mass of sisters, who are patiently waiting and worrying. Once back in the chapel, Private investigator Emerson Cod greeted the pair with a look of sarcastic relief.

"Great, are you two done with your little chit-chat cause we got a case that needs solving and I don't have all damn day." Emerson stated dryly.

"Give me a break, I'm processing. how long did it take you to understand and accept Ned's ability?"

"It was a new way to make money, so not long. Now, can you wake up the padre so we can get on with it?"

The Pie-maker huffed and walked closer to the body. Looking down at his watch, he pressed a button to begin the sixty seconds. He reached out his hand and touched the Father's. The priest opened his eyes.

And the facts were these...


	9. The Proof is in The Porridge

One Father Edward Smith, aged forty-three years, six months, eight hours, and twenty-six minutes, and not a minute older. After breakfast and morning prayers, Father Ed walked down the corridor next to sister Mary Ellen. Whilst discussing this weeks devotional work, he clutched his arm and quickly collapsed.

Now, alive once more, unfortunately only alive for sixty seconds, there are questions in need of his answers.

"What's happening?... What's going on? ...Sister Olive?" The father sat up looked curiously around the room. Olive, who had been slightly hiding behind the Pie-maker, stepped into view to answer the priest.

"Hello father." She answered nervously. Ned looked back at her and gave her a look as to say 'it's ok'. She accepted his look with a nod.

"Father, there's no easy way to say this, but you died. We have reason to believe that you were murdered, as well as Mother Superior." Ned said rapidly.

"Oh." The father processed the information as quickly as he could, and looked back to Ned as if waiting to see what he'd say next.

"Father, was there anyone who you think might have a motive to kill both you and Mother Superior?"

"Not that I can think of. I try my best not to make enemies."

"Was there anything you did differently from your day to day routine?" Asked Ned.

"No, nothing was out of the ordinary. I woke up, got dressed, ate breakfast, and I led morning prayers. After that I went walking around with Sister Mary Ellen, and we discussed what this weeks hymns would be. Then I woke up here."

"So, you have no clue who killed you or why they'd want to kill you?"

"I'm sorry, no. "

The Pie-maker looked behind him to Olive, with worry in his eyes. She grabbed his arm and moved in front of him to talk to the father.

"Father Ed. I just want to say that I'm sorry...I'm sorry this happened."

"It is His will. Perhaps it was my time."

"Do you have any messages or last wishes?" Ned interrupted.

"Only that the sisters not hold onto their grief for too long. Help them to move on. Let them know that, I'll be watching over them."

Ned nodded with a genuine and gentle smile.

"Good bye Father." Olive said with eyes filled with tears threatening to spill over.

"Goodbye Sister Olive." Father Ed said.

Ned reached out to touch Father Ed, ending his life once more.

None of their questions led to useful answers, but private investigator Emerson Cod decided to review what had already been known. His death identical to that of Mother Superior's, caused Emerson to scrutinize every detail of both victims morning routine.

After the Pie-maker and Olive Snook turned to face Emerson, he hatched his plan.

"We should look into who they were with, what they did, if anything was out of the ordinary. Most likely, We aren't looking for a physical weapon, I'm guessing it was some kinda poison or something. Since I didn't see any type of mark from an injection, maybe it was in his food. Olive, where's the kitchen?" Emerson started walking before she had the chance to answer the question. She followed behind him as quickly as she could, the Pie-maker following her.

"Its down the hall." She said as she ran to catch up to Emerson.

The three quickly made their way into the large, dimly lit, kitchen. A sizable metal pot sat in the middle of the stove.

"Here's what we eat every morning." Olive said this while walking over and lifting the lid to reveal the contents. Emerson leaned over her shoulder to look. He made a face of distaste for what he had seen.

"And you voluntarily came here, and ate this?" Emerson asked sarcastically.

"It's pretty bad, but it's the only thing we get for breakfast. everyone ate it this morning. Wait, wouldn't we all be dead by now if someone poisoned the porridge?"

"Not necessarily... If the murderer was targeting someone specific, they could have poisoned the porridge after it was in the intended victims bowl. Who serves the food?" Ned asked.

"Sister Elizabeth and Sister Margret. They do it every morning, you don't think one of them..." Olive trailed off.

"It's worth looking into." Emerson stated.

"Alright. Emerson and I will go find the servers and Olive, you should go ask around and see who was there when Father Ed was. See if they saw anything unusual."

"You don't want me to come with you guys?" she asked.

"No, it isn't that. I just think it's better if we split up to get more done in less time." Ned said.

"Ok. The sisters who serve lunch should be here any minute to start setting up. I'll see you later then." She said walking back towards the room containing the myriad of nuns.

"Bye." He said right before turning back to Emerson.

"You wanna tell me what that was about?"

"What? I was simply making a choice that would logically be most efficient in solving the murder."

"So it wasn't because you're being overprotective of Olive?" Emerson said, already knowing the answer.

"The Mother Superior, before she died, told me that Olive passed out when she first arrived. I just don't want to cause any more stress on her, and I think interviewing possible murderers might be a little much."

"She may be itty bitty, but she isn't some China doll. I'm telling you to let her make her own decisions."

"I know." Ned said looking to Emerson, waiting to see what he'd say next.

"Well, lets get on with it. Olive said the sisters should be coming in to start lunch prep." Emerson said walking further into the kitchen. After a few short minutes, two sisters hurried into the kitchen, whispering something. When they looked up to see two visitors waiting, they stopped dead in their tracks.

"May we help you?" Sister Elizabeth asked innocently.

"Yes actually, we know that you both serve the food at all meals, every day. We were wondering which one of you served Father Ed this morning?" Ned stated.

"That would be me." Said Sister Elizabeth.

"Did you happen to..add...something to his breakfast..." Ned was interrupted

"Did you poison the priest or not?" Emerson said blatantly.

"Of course not, why would you even think that? Coming here making wild and preposterous accusations."Sister Margret said defensively.

"What he means to say is, did either of you do anything differently while serving Mother Superior and Father Ed."

"We do the same thing every day, three times a day. No, we didn't do anything different..." She was cut off by the reserved and quiet sister behind her.

"Actually... Every morning I add a little vanilla to Mother Superior's and Father Ed's porridge bowls. It makes it more palatable...and in return my chores are lessened between preparing and serving meals."

Sister Margret looked at Sister Elizabeth in anger and disbelief, while Sister Elizabeth averted her eyes and reached in her pocket for the little brown bottle.

"May we see the vanilla?" Ned asks calmly.

She hands it to Ned.

"And do you use it in your porridge Sister?" Emerson inquired.

Elizabeth shook her head no.

"Only on those two."

"Thank you. Don't go far, but we will need you to leave the room. And no one should be eating the food until this case is closed." Emerson said while ushering the two women out.

Ned uncorked the tiny bottle and placed it under his nose. The Pie-maker made a face of curiosity and then a second later, disgust.

"This is not vanilla."

"You sure?"

"I work with vanilla everyday. I know what it smells like, and this is not it."

"So...we have our weapon, and we have our number one suspect." Emerson said.

"Maybe someone took the real vanilla and replaced the bottle."

"Or maybe she just poisoned them and made up a story about the vanilla so that the blame would be off her, and she could claim the bottle was switched." Emerson stated.

"Then why would she give us the bottle? And why would she flat out admit that she adds the stuff to their meals? If she were guilty, I don't think she'd just give us everything we need to lock her up for good. Besides that, what motive does she have? They lessened her chores, they made her life easier, not harder."

"So she says. All I know is that I'm not crossing her off the list of possibilities."

As soon as he finished talking the door slammed open.

The Pie-maker was just about to tell the intruder to leave, but he paused when he saw who had entered.

"Olive?" Ned asked.

Olive stepped toward the pair with a look on her face that told them she had something important to say.

"Well, that was a waste of time. None of the sisters were saying anything of use, until... get this...Sister Eunice saw Sister Elizabeth put something in Father Ed's bowl of porridge this morning and..."

"Yeah Olive...we know."

She lost the look of importance and replaced it with a look of disappointment.

"You?...oh, well ummm. Is she guilty?"

"Sister Elizabeth said she supposedly puts vanilla in Mother Superiors and Father Ed's breakfast to make it taste better. But when I inspected the contents of the bottle I found that this is definitely not vanilla." Ned said raising the bottle.

"We're gonna go talk a little more with sister Elizabeth." Emerson said impatiently

"Well...what do you want me to do?" She asked innocently.

"How about you talk with Sister Margret? Ask her if she ever saw Sister Elizabeth doing this, if anyone else knew...that kinda stuff."

"Alright." Olive smiled and walked out the door.

Emerson looked at Ned in a way that said everything without saying anything at all.

"I know, I know."

"Mmmmhmmmm. Yeah you know, but you keep pushing her away and being overprotective. She's gonna catch on to what you're doing eventually and she ain't gonna be too pleased."

"Let's just go." Ned said walking out the door.

The two approached Sister Elizabeth and asked to speak with her privately. Meanwhile Olive was looking for Sister Margret. According to the other sisters, she was last seen making her way to her room. Back in the kitchen, the Pie-maker and the private investigator interrogated a very shy, very anxious nun.

"I swear, that bottle had vanilla in it. I would never want to hurt anyone. I promise." She said while beginning to sob.

"Then who did, because this definitely isn't what you say it is. Has anyone seen you add something? Has anyone found out about the deal you struck up with Mother Superior and Father Ed? Who had access to the bottle?"

"I don't know. I mean a few weeks ago, I thought sister Margret had seen me add the stuff to their meals. I thought she was getting suspicious, but when I confessed a little while ago in front of you, she seemed awfully surprised. She stands next to me at every meal, and our rooms are right next to each other, so she definitely had access. When we left she got away from me as fast as she could, I never had time to talk to her. She went straight to her room and no one has seen her come out yet."

"Thank you sister."

She hurried out of the room, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"So, you think it was Sister Margret? Maybe she did see, caught on to what was happening, and saw her opportunity. She could've taken the bottle and replaced its contents without the other Sister noticing. After we had the bottle in our possession, maybe she went to her room to get her things and make an escape." Emerson continued.

"Yeah I guess we..." Ned stopped his train of thought.

"What is it."

"We just sent Olive to interview the murderer." Ned said with an intense look of terror.

Ned went from walking to running in a matter of seconds. He made his way towards the rooms and began looking in each one, until he found them. Emerson caught up, while catching his breath, and immediately took on a look of shock. In front of them was Sister Margret holding Olives back against her, with a butchers knife at her throat.

"Ned?...I think I may have solved the case." Olive said with her eyes widened in a look of terror.

"I see that.."Ned spoke, while looking at the knife rather than her face.

"Take another step and she dies." Sister Margret said.

"Okay, okay...just please don't hurt her." Ned pleaded.

"I'm going to take my things and go, but I'm going to need your car." Sister Margret demanded.

"Fine...fine, take it. Here."

The Pie-maker reaches into his pocket for the keys and tosses them on the floor in front of her. Still keeping Olive at knife point, Sister Margret reached down to grab the keys, grabbed her bag and tossed it around her shoulder.

"Out of my way." She yelled at the two men blocking her exit. They complied and she left.

Sister Margret made her way out of the halls and through the crowd of nuns who looked as shocked and terrified as Olive did.

"No one try anything, or else." She said, increasing the pressure of the knife against Olive's throat, causing her to wince. Olive tried her best not to cry, but tears still managed to fall from her eyes.

The two exit the convent and make their way to the car. The Pie-maker and Emerson followed but only got as far as the steps until they were spotted.

"Stay back! I'll kill her, I swear it!" She shouted

"Ok, ok." Ned said with his hands in the air.

The sister clutched the car key and put it in the lock on the door. She began to turn it, but the key got stuck.

"What the hell?" The sister exclaimed

"The key gets stuck sometimes. You might need to use both hands." Ned shouted from the steps.

Olive understood what Ned was doing.

"Don't move, or I swear. I'll end you."

Olive nodded, but the minute the knife was off of her throat, she ran as fast as she could. The sister groaned, but chose to focus on getting the car door open and making her escape, rather than chasing after her hostage.

"Why isn't it working?!" The sister yelled in anger

"Wrong keys."

Ned smirked while holding up the right keys and dangling them tauntingly.

Before the sister had a chance to react, Emerson slammed her down on the hood of the car and placed her in handcuffs. Soon after that, the police arrived and placed the nun into custody. Before the car drove off, Sister Elizabeth ran to the back seat window.

"Why did you do it? I ...thought we were friends." Sister Elizabeth said at whisper.

"If you thought we were friends, you're even dumber than I believed you to be. You wanna know why I did it? I killed them for making that deal with you in the first place, for leading this place unfairly, for treating us like servants, and for being so damn hypocritical. I'm fed up with it, with this place, with you. You act so perfect and innocent, while finding ways to get out of doing more chores. You are a sinner, and you're damned."

The sister straightened up her posture, and looking in the eyes of Sister Margret gathered her strength.

"You're right I was wrong to skimp on my chores, but at least I never killed anyone. Enjoy rotting away in prison. I'll be sure to keep your soul in my prayers." She smiled and turned away, walking back into the convent.

Olive snook sat on the steps, after being interviewed by officers and checked on by an EMT.

"You ok?" Ned asked.

"I'm fine. My throats a little sore, but other than that I'll be ok... We'll be ok." She said in reference to the tiny, vulnerable life form, taking residence inside her.

Ned smiled "I don't remember ever being that scared in my life."

"Well, I'm ok now. It all worked out." She said comforting him.

"What if it hadn't? Olive if I lost you..." he was interrupted.

"You didn't lose me. I'm right here. It's ok." She said, surprised by how much he cared.

"I guess so. Ready to go home?"

"Definitely."

The two stood up, but before heading for the car...

"Olive?"

She turned to face him, she looked at him in anticipation of a question, but there were no words. He simply reached out to pull her into a hug. He held on tightly and closed his eyes. She closed hers and they stood still in that moment until Emerson came out and cleared his throat as to break them up.

"I'll see you two tomorrow, I've had enough adventure for today. And Olive, try not to get yourself into more trouble."

"I'll try." She laughed.

Emerson walked off and went on his way. Olive Snook and the Pie-maker got into the car and started it.

"Wait. There's one stop I'd like to make, if you don't mind." Olive said.

"Sure. Where to?"

A while later, there was a knock on the door. Lilian huffed and got up to answer it.

"Who the hell is at the...Olive." Lilian said in shock

Olive stood there staring at Lilian in silence. Lilian stepped out on the porch and closed the door.

"Olive, I'm sorry about telling Ned...I just saw how upset you were, and I knew that..." She was stopped when Olive quickly wrapped her arms around her and held on tightly.

"Thank you Lilian."

Lilian reluctantly returned the hug, but afterwards she broke it up, not being one for sentimentality. Then the door opened to reveal Vivian.

"Lily, who...Olive! What a lovely surprise. Won't you come in?" Vivian said, opening the door and ushering in her guest.

"Of course, but I hope you don't mind I brought someone along." Olive said, looking behind her.

Ned stepped onto the porch, hands in his pockets. He shrugged while smiling.

"We don't mind at all. It's wonderful to see you Ned." Vivian said happily.

All four of them step inside and walk into the living room.

"So what brings you two here?" Vivian asks

"Actually, there's something I..." She stops and looks at Ned. Before starting again, she takes his hand.

"We...wanted to tell you."

Lilian sat down, already knowing the news, and waited for her to say it.

"We're expecting a baby." Olive said smiling sweetly.

"Oh my! A baby, what a blessed event. Tell me, when is the wedding?"

"Ohhh...uhhhh... we're not...I.." Olive stammered.

"We haven't talked about marriage. This wasn't planned, but we're still very excited about it." Ned said.

Olive looked up into his eyes.

"Are you really excited?" She said almost inaudibly

"Of course." he smiled brightly.

"Wedding or not, we simply must celebrate! I'll break out the good cheese." Vivian said, making her way to the kitchen.

"And the good liquor." Lilian shouted into the kitchen.

"I can't have either." Olive said sitting next to Lily.

"Not everything is about you dear." Lilian said sarcastically, patting Olive's leg.

After a few hours of talking to the Charles sisters, the Pie-maker and Olive finally made it back to her apartment.

"Well, goodbye." Olive said, entering her apartment.

"Goodbye." He said back. She went to close the door, but he stopped her.

"Olive?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think that maybe...sometime...we could..you know..get dinner...I...I mean.."

"You mean like a date?" She interrupted.

"Yeah...like a date." He said

"We'll see. Goodnight Ned." She smiled and closed the door.

Ned smiled to himself.

"Goodnight Olive" He said knowing full well that she could no longer hear him.


	10. Just Peachy

It had been seven weeks, three days, and several hours since the Pie-maker and Olive Snook returned from the Sisters of the Divine Magnatum. Olive Snook, now thirteen weeks pregnant, has begun to 'show'. Barely noticeable to the untrained eye, the Pie-maker was the only person to detect the change, other than Olive herself.

Olive enters the kitchen to grab more pie, and notices Ned's eyes following her as she walks.

"You're staring." She said with a smirk.

"Sorry." he looks back down at the pie he's making with a big smile on his face.

"What were you looking at?" she said as she cut a pie into perfectly even slices.

"Nothing." he lied

"Liar." She teased.

"You know you still haven't given me an answer about that date. It's been weeks and every time I ask, you always find a way out of it." Ned said.

"I know, I'm sorry. I promise the next time you ask I'll say yes." she said

"How about tonight."

"Ohh, I'm really sorry, I have a doctors appointment after I'm done here." She said guiltily

"An appointment for...the baby?" he inquired.

"Yes. You're welcome to come...if you want to."

"yeah...Yeah I'd like that." he said with a grin.

"And after the appointment, if you feel like feeding me I wouldn't be opposed." she said.

They smiled at each other.

"How big is it this week? Last week you said something about a plum?" He asked

"The book I'm reading describes the size of the baby at each week by comparing it to fruit. Last week it was as large as a plum, this week a lemon, next week...peach." she said.

"A peach? It's growing fast." he stated.

"Yup." She nodded in agreement.

"Well...I better get back to serving." she said with a nervous smile.

As she exited the kitchen, the Pie-maker truly realized how happy he was becoming. Then looking down at the pile of mail on the counter he was hit with a wave of guilt, something reminded of the cost of his actions. A post card addressed to him. No return address, it simply says: _From Chuck._ He turned the post card over and read:

 _Dear Ned,_

 _I'm not writing this to tell you how badly you hurt me, or to remind you, or make you feel guilty. I'm writing this to let you know that instead of lying around wallowing, I decided to take a trip. I'm seeing the world, just like I've always dreamed. This time I intend to live through it, so no more smuggling plaster (gold) monkeys, and I'm flying rather than going on a ship. France was wonderful and tomorrow I begin my exploration of Italy. Finally, I'm putting my knowledge of these places to good use. The world is so beautiful. It's just like I've read about countless times. I've decided to visit a few more places, and then I'm coming back. I miss my aunts. I know that you told me before, that telling them would be too dangerous, but I miss them and I think they'd understand. I'm doing it no matter what you think, but I thought I'd at least let you know. I haven't forgiven you, but I'm trying to. I hope one day that I can._

 _\- Chuck_

"You ok?" Olive asked as she grabbed the coffee pot off the counter.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine." he said.

"What's that?" she asked in reference to the card he held.

"Uhhhh...postcard."

"From?.." she asked.

The Pie-maker paused, only for a second, to think about what he should say next. He was unsure of how Olive would react to the postcard, and he did not wish to cause her unnecessary stress.

"From... My friend... John."

"John who?"

"John...Johnson"

"You have a friend named John Johnson? How come I've never heard of him?"

"He was an old friend of mine back when I was in boarding school...and oh look more customers shouldn't you go take their orders? Wouldn't want to keep them waiting."

"Guess not...you ok? You seem a little jumpy." she asked.

"No... no I'm fine." he said.

"Ok." she said with a skeptical look.

Olive Snook could tell there was something that the Pie-maker was withholding from her, but she knew that pushing him further for information would not be advisable. Looking back at him, she continued about her job, taking orders and serving pie. She didn't ask him about the postcard again, and soon enough it was time to close. Olive grabbed her things and waited by the front door for the Pie-maker.

"Ready to go?" She asked.

"I'm ready if you are." he replied

The two made their way to doctors office, and after waiting in a brightly colored room, they were directed towards the examination room. After ten minutes of mostly comfortable, but occasionally awkward, silence, the doctor entered with a clipboard in hand and a smile on his face.

"Good evening Mrs. Snook."

"Ms." she said quickly.

"Oh pardon me. I presume that this is the father-to-be?" The doctor asked in reference to the Pie-maker.

"Uh yes. That's me." Ned said with a nervous chuckle.

"So Ms. Snook, you are approximately thirteen weeks along, I'm just going to run a few tests to make sure everything is alright. After we complete those tests, we'll be able to listen to the baby's heartbeat, and I can give you an exact estimate on your due date. Rather exciting, I know." The doctor said quickly.

As the doctor continued to ramble on about testing and prenatal care, the Pie-maker began to imagine what his and Olive's child would look like. He imagined a little girl, age 5, blond hair in pig tails, and blue eyes like her mothers. Then he imagined the possibility of a little boy, brown hair, and blue-green eyes, the spitting image of his father. He attempted to discern which he would prefer, a boy or a girl. He knew that as long as the child was healthy, he'd be happy. The Pie-maker once again arrived back to reality, only to realize that the doctor had not only finished talking, but he had also performed all tests but one.

"Are you ready to hear the heartbeat?" The doctor asked.

"Yes...yes go ahead." Ned stuttered

After Olive lifted her shirt and the gel was squirted on her stomach, the doctor began to move the probe around. Suddenly he stopped and adjusted the machine. He turned the screen to face them and two heart beats rang out clearly. One being Olive's, the other being...

"The baby." Olive said barely above a whisper. Her eyes, filling with tears of happiness.

"Indeed it is. Everything looks good, and your due date looks to be...January 14th. A winter baby. Congratulations. I'll print out some photos for you to take home." The doctor said as he continued to push buttons on the machine.

"Wait. Can you tell the gender?" Ned asked.

"Not for about three more weeks. At your next appointment, hopefully we'll be able to tell. When the time comes do you want to know the gender?."

"No." Ned said.

"Yes." Olive spoke simultaneously.

"Well I suppose you two can discuss it, but make sure you have a decision made by the time the appointment comes up. Here are your ultrasound photos, and you are free to go." The doctor said, while turning the machine off.

The two looked at each other and proceeded to exit the office.

"If...you want to know...we can find out the gender at the next appointment." Ned offered.

"Thank you, but I change my mind. I think I want to be surprised."

The Pie-maker smiled, and Olive smiled back.

"Well, I promised you food. What do you want to eat? You get to choose. Anything you want." he said

"Anything?" she asked.

"Anything." he stated.

"You're gonna think I'm crazy." She said looking away.

"No I won't. What are you craving?"

"Pie." she giggled

"Okay you're a little nuts. You're around pie all day."

"I know...it's just... I don't eat it all day."

"Alright. Pie. Any type in specific?" he asked

"Apple." she said confidently.

The Pie-maker smiled a bright and genuine smile. The pair made their way back to the place they had left just a few short hours ago.

"Ok you grab the apples and start slicing, I'll work on the dough for the crust." Ned said, putting on his apron.

"You got it!" Olive said as she went to fetch the apples.

After an hour of hard work, a delicious pie had been created out of simple ingredients, and two hungry people began to devour it.

"You know, this is probably the first time I've ever seen you eat your own pie. Why is that? They're amazing. You're missing out."

There was a silence and the Pie-maker simply stared at Olive Snook until she caught on to what the stare was saying.

"No! The fruit? No wonder the pie is so reasonably priced." she yelled

Ned chuckled.

"Every once in a while I taste it, but usually I can't eat the pies I make."

She laughed and he moved in closer.

"Come here." he said softly.

She walked closer to him, her eyes never moving from his.

"You have flour on your face." he said, as he wiped it away with his thumb.

Olive snickered.

"So do you." she said

As the two stood there, Olive waited for the Pie-maker to close the distance between them and kiss her. Sadly, no such movement would occur.

"I should go check on Digby, you stay here and finish your slice." he said, moving away from Olive.

As the Pie-maker wandered away, Olive began to clean up. Dusting the flour off the table she noticed a piece of paper. She recognized it as the postcard Ned claimed was from one Mr. John Johnson, an old friend from boarding school. When she turned the card over to read it, she noticed immediately that it was not from Mr. Johnson, but rather one Charlotte Charles, better known as 'Chuck'.

"Hey! Digby's all good. I gave him a bit more food to make sure he.." Ned was cut off

"Why didn't you tell me this postcard was from Chuck?" She asked

"Uhh, Olive I didn't...you were in such a good mood this morning I didn't want to remind you.." he said, but was cut off again.

"So you lied to me to protect me?" She asked sarcastically.

"Yes?" he said guiltily

"I can't help feeling this about something more than that." she said

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean...that you're still in love with Chuck, and it confuses me when you act like you like me, but then continue to put your feelings for her first." she said, as tears began to fill her eyes and spill over.

"Olive.." he said reaching out for her hand, but she flinched backwards.

"No. Ned this isn't fair. I'm not asking you to choose to be with me, but you need to let one of us go and I'm here, not her. You need to decide who..." This time it was Olive who was cut off.

"Chuck." he said with wide eyes.

"What?" She asked as her voice broke.

"No. Olive...Chuck." he said pointing towards the front door that her back had been turned to.

Olive turned around to see the figure of a woman coming into the light, revealing herself to indeed be , Chuck.

"Surprise! I'm back early...And I need your help in proving me innocent."

"Innocent of what?" Ned asked.

"Murder." Chuck stated dryly.


	11. The Facts

"Mmmurder...murder. Like murder, murder?" Ned stuttered awkwardly.

Charlotte Charles allowed a smile to creep upon her face, realizing that some things never change.

"I'm pretty sure there's only one kind of murder, but I'm innocent I swear...I just need you to help me prove that to the authorities." She said.

"The authorities...are they after you? Are you ok? You still haven't told me what happened." The Pie-maker rambled on, while checking the windows, locking the door and finally stopping to take a breath and look at Chuck.

"Your hair's different." He said and smiled. He was referring to the shorter length which now just met her shoulders.

"Yeah I thought it was time for a change." she said, combing her fingers through her new style.

"I like it...Well, if we're gonna solve this case, there's someone else we need." He said.

Ten minutes and several long seconds later, in walked an agitated Emerson Cod.

"It is the middle of the damn night, what is so important that you are interrupting my sleep? Couldn't this wait until morning?" Emerson said.

He turned around and revealed a look of surprise upon hearing a familiar voice.

"No, it couldn't. I'm being charged with murder. I ran out of France before officials could convict me, but I need to prove my innocence before they find me." Chuck said rapidly.

Emerson paused, only for a moment to take in all that was occurring. Chuck was back, she had been in France, she is being accused of murder, and she is now on the run. He contemplated what he should say next, but all he managed was...

"Can you ever just take a normal vacation? Always gotta go getting murdered or murdering someone else. Take a damn hint and stay put." Emerson said sarcastically, with a hint of anger.

"Hey! I told you I didn't do it! You don't believe me?" Chuck asked defensively, crossing her arms.

"MMMMM...I'll believe what the facts tell me." Emerson mumbled.

"The facts aren't totally looking to be in my favor." She said guiltily.

The private investigator and the girl named Chuck took a seat in the nearest booth while the Pie-maker and Olive Snook finished cleaning the kitchen silently.

"And what exactly are the facts?" He asked, as he adjusted his position in the booth.

"Well the facts..."

Well, the facts were these. One Charlotte Charles, on her European adventure, met a handsome young frenchman by the name of Bastien. He offered to show her around Paris in between his numerous attempts to romance her. Wine-ing and dining her at the finest restaurants, Bastien had decided that Chuck was the most wonderful woman he'd ever met. Chuck, who was less than impressed with her new beau, decided to end their five week fling. His rude manner and slight temper caused Chuck to only miss her Pie-maker. This man was in every way his opposite, but not in a good way. On what would be her final night in Paris, the two decided to visit the Eiffel Tower. Bastien, planning to propose, was blissfully unaware that Chuck was preparing her speech that was destined to break his heart. The two of them alone on the tower, Bastien began to kneel down on one knee. As Chuck started to understand what was happening, she quickly blurted the word 'No' and ran all the way down to the street. As she looked out to the hustling crowd walking the streets, she was unaware of where to go. As she said 'what now'...

"As I said 'what now', I heard a large crash and looked next to me. It was Bastien, dead on the ground, with a knife in his back. There were no witnesses on the tower with us that night, but people saw me running from the tower looking frazzled and jumped to conclusions." She said.

"Mhmmmm." Emerson said, sleepily processing the story.

"And you're sure you didn't kill him?" he said.

"Yes! Now can you be serious for a minute. I need you to prove it wasn't me, someone else got on that tower and killed Bastien. I don't know who did it, why they did it, or how. That's where you come in." She said with a smile.

"You got any suspects?" He asked.

"No." she replied with a slight cringe.

"Great. So you got no leads, no suspects, and no way of finding out who did it." He said angrily.

"I only knew the guy for a few weeks, and besides we don't need any of that when we put you and Ned together on a case. We'll just ask Bastien who killed him and hopefully he can at least provide us with some suspects." she said.

"Great. You got access to the body?" He inquired.

"Yes of course." She replied.

"Good, where is it?" he asked

"Saint Paul de Vence." she said

"And where in hell is that?"

"The South of France."

"And how is Pie boy gonna do his thing with the dead guy being a million miles away!" he shouted.

Chuck smiled guiltily and pulled out two plane tickets.

"Uh-uh" Emerson said, shaking his head dramatically.

"Please?" She begged

"No." He replied without hesitation.

"Emerson, please you're my only hope." She pleaded.

"Fine." He said.

Just then the Pie-maker walked over to the booth, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"What's going on?" The Pie-maker asked.

"We're going to France." Emerson said unamused.

"What?" Ned asked, stunned.

"You heard me. Go get packed." Emerson replied.

He picked up the tickets.

"Our flight leaves in four hours." Emerson said, getting up from the booth and walking towards the door.

The Pie-maker, still stunned by the turn of events looked at Chuck and asked...

"Are you coming?"

"No. It's too dangerous to try and go back to France. I think staying here and keeping a low profile would be much safer. I'll stay, make pies, and watch Digby while you go off on a wild Parisian adventure and clear my name." She smiled at him.

"Thank you, for helping me." She said.

"Of course, it's the least I could do after...everything." Ned said shyly.

"Well I'm gonna go. I got a hotel room not far from here and I'll be back in the morning to open this place up." She said, standing up and making her way to the door.

"Thanks again" She said, and the door closed behind her.

The Pie-maker turned back and saw Olive, sitting on a stool in the kitchen. Her eyes were closed. One hand rested on her hip, and the other was gently placed on her stomach, moving in circular motions. He noted in the back of his mind that he'd never seen her quite as beautiful. He walked into the kitchen quietly, as not to startle her. She looked at him and gave a weak, insincere smile.

"Olive I..."

"I know, you have to go. I'm an excellent eavesdropper." She said.

"I'm sorry." He said, looking at the ground, then back into her eyes.

"I know." She said quietly.

"We'll talk when I get back?" he asked.

She didn't verbally reply, just a simple nod as she collected her things and made her way out of the Pie-hole. Towards the place she called home. The Pie-maker huffed and locked the doors on his way out. He had only a few hours before he was expected to get on a plane bound for France, and solve a murder to help the former love of his life. He stalled for a moment to ponder whether the word 'former' was appropriate. He knew it wasn't.


	12. The Flour Fiend

While the Pie-maker and Private investigator, Emerson Cod, went on their way to Paris, Olive Snook and Charlotte Charles stayed behind. The two still hadn't spoken since their confrontation at the Sisters of the Divine Magnatum, and it didn't seem as though that would change anytime soon. The silence was not one filled with anger or disdain, but rather an awkwardness and a loss for what to say. Both considered themselves to be rather proficient conversationalists, but neither wished to upset the other, and in turn remained quiet. The only words spoken were the occasional order being placed and discussion of banal topics such as weather, or which flavor of pie was selling the fastest. Neither wished to discuss the Pie-maker, nor anything having to do with the past three months. By the end of the day, both were far beyond exhausted from avoiding the other. The chairs had been stacked and the sign changed from 'open' to 'closed', but Chuck continued to make a pie in the kitchen. Finally Olive began to talk.

"What are you making that for? We closed twenty minutes ago." Olive asked hesitantly.

"My aunts. Actually, I was hoping you'd be able to take it to them tonight. I know it's a bit of a drive..." Chuck continued, never looking up from what she was doing.

"No, no it's fine. I enjoy seeing them anyway." Olive said.

"Thanks." Chuck stated, finally looking up.

There was an awkwardness as she looked back down. Olive stood in the doorway and went to turn and walk back into the main area. Chuck stopped her.

"How's...how are you...and the baby?" Chuck asked nervously.

"I'm good. He or she is also good." she said with a light smile.

"You don't know the gender yet?" Chuck asked.

"The ultrasound won't be able to show the baby's gender for a few more weeks, but we...I decided to leave it a surprise until the birth anyway." Olive said.

"It's ok Olive. You can say 'we' I know Ned's involved with this child, he wouldn't want it any other way. I also figured you two would be a couple by now, so it's alright...I am happy for you." Chuck said. She lied with the last words of her statement. Happy was not at all how she felt. Angry didn't quite describe it either. It was more aptly described as a sadness and a deep envy. Anger was a part of it, but it wasn't all of it.

"Chuck. Ned and I aren't...he's involved with the baby, but we aren't a couple." she said.

Chuck was slightly shocked and chastised herself for jumping to conclusions, no matter how logical they seemed.

"Oh. I...I just assumed." Chuck said.

"It's ok." She said, reassuringly.

"You don't have to tell me, but...can I ask why?" Chuck asked.

"Because...it's a complicated situation and he's so unsure about what he wants. He wants to be there for this child, and he wants to be there for me but...there are still things that are difficult explain. I don't have the answers, but..." Olive stopped. Tears filled in her eyes and threatened to spill over. She realized that Chuck used to be the person she would confide in, but no longer would that be the case. Chuck spoke again.

"It's alright, you don't have to talk about it. Olive, I understand why things are...awkward between us. I want you to know that I'm not angry."

"There must be some part of you that's angry at me. I'd feel so much better if you'd just let it out. Let it all out and we put everything on the table. No more secrets, no more lies. I don't expect our friendship to ever be the same, but it won't get any better if you keep pretending you're not mad at me." Olive finally let out how she felt. Now it was Chuck's turn.

"Olive I already said I'm not angry." Chuck said.

"And I already said I don't believe you." Olive shot back.

"Well then, we'll just agree to disagree." Chuck stated, paying attention once again to the pie she was about to put in the oven.

"No. You're going to tell me how you really feel." Olive said. Chuck continued to ignore her, putting the pie in the preheated oven and closing the door on it. She turned back around to face a determined Olive Snook, but rather than acknowledging her, she began cleaning up the mess she had created.

"Tell me you're angry. I know you are. After what I did? After what Ned did? Our actions were horrible." Olive stopped as she saw two tears fall from Chuck's face, onto the counter.

"Chuck?" Olive asked timidly, afraid she had pushed too hard or been too harsh.

Chucks eyes still hadn't moved from the task at hand. With nothing left to be said Olive turned to walk out of the kitchen, defeated.

"You're right." Chuck mumbled.

Olive stopped and turned back around with a questioning expression.

"Of course I'm angry. I'm damned angry." Chuck said, placing her hands flat on the counter top and looking directly into Olive's eyes. The distinct look of pain and sadness was one that was unmistakable and gut wrenching to witness.

"I'm angry at you for sleeping with my boyfriend about a day after we broke up. I'm angry at Ned for breaking up with me in the first place and for taking advantage of your feelings for him. I'm angry at the universe for making my hopes and dreams come true with Ned, for somebody else. I'm angry that I lost the two most important people in my life. I had finally found love in both a best friend and in a man I got to call my own. Now I have nothing. I have no one."

"That's not true. We're still here for you." Olive said reaching out her hand to place it on Chuck's, but she flinched and pulled it back.

"It isn't the same. It will never be the same again. I wish it could be, but it can't...it won't," Chuck said wiping the tears from her face quickly.

"I don't know how else to say I'm sorry," Olive said, as tears streaked her face. Olive reached out to give Chuck's hand a comforting touch, but Chuck flinched and drew her hand away before she got the chance.

"I know that you're sorry, and I know you didn't hurt me on purpose, but none the less you did hurt me." Chuck dusted her hands on her apron and smoothed out the fabric, not knowing how else to occupy her hands.

Olive was frantically piecing things together in her mind, attempting to find a solution, a way to bring their friendship back to life. If only a simple touch would solve things, but some things are not so easy.

"I don't know how to fix this. I miss you so much Chuck. You were like the sister I never had. I'm angry too. I'm angry that I completely ruined our friendship. What I did was unforgivable, and I know that asking you to forgive and forget would be too much, but I want to start over. Give me another chance. I promise I won't mess it up this time. " Olive once again reached out to touch Chucks hand, this time there was no flinching or jerking away.

"I want that too. I just don't know if I can trust you anymore." Chuck spoke slowly as her voice quaked with emotion.

"I'm asking for one chance to prove that you can...please." Olive pleaded.

There was a brief pause, one that to Olive, felt like a lifetime.

"Ok." Chuck whispered, looking back into Olive's eyes.

Olive released a breath that she felt as though she'd been holding for a year.

"Thank you." Olive said.

The two then spent another hour discussing everything they had each experienced over their time apart. There had been more tears and laughter and relief in that one hour than for the past three months. After the pie was ready, the two women packaged it and set it on the counter for delivery. They walked back over to where the mess of ingredients still laid.

"Would you mind helping me clean up before you take the pie to my aunts?" Chuck asked.

"Of course not. What can I do to..." Before Olive could finish her question she was interrupted by a handful of flour being thrown in her face. She opened her eyes after flinching to see Chuck struggling terribly to hold back laugher...and failing.

Now covered in flour and still in shock, Olive reached into the bag an hurled as much flour at Chuck as her dainty hand could grasp.

Chuck, now also covered in flour, shrieked as they both let loose the laughter they had held in. She reached in the bag for more but this time Olive made a run for it.

"Oh no! No more!" Olive yelled as she ran away. She stood behind a table and chairs and attempted to dodge the flour fiend, but there was no where to run. She bolted, but it was not long before Chuck caught up and doused her once again with flour. She yelped and both broke out into a fit of laughter.

"No fair!" Olive said between giggles.

"It isn't my fault you run slow." Chuck said sarcastically.

"Well, I'm short and pregnant. Things aren't exactly in my favor while running from you." Olive said.

They both plopped down in a booth. Still giggling. Olive Looked out at the mess they had created. There was flour everywhere. She looked at Chuck. Flour all in her hair and on her face, down the floral dress she wore. Olive thought about what she must look like in this moment. Probably just as covered in the stuff.

"You know we're gonna have to clean this up now."Olive said.

"Really? I think it looks nice this way, a real 'lived in' look, you know?" Chuck said sarcastically.

Olive snickered. Chuck looked at Olive with a smile.

"You're gonna be a great mom." Chuck said, reaching out for Olive's hand and taking it in her own.

Those words, brought pure joy to Olive's heart and filled her eyes with tears. Now hand in Chucks, her other hand instinctively moved to her stomach to cradle her child.

"You think so?" Olive asked.

"I know so." Chuck said.

Chuck then released Olive's hand and stood up.

"I guess we should start cleaning up." Chuck said making her way back towards the kitchen.

"Chuck?" Olive said. Chuck turned back around to face Olive and waited for her to continue.

"Would you...Would you be my baby's Godmother?" Olive asked.

"Are you sure?" Chuck asked.

"I've never been more sure of anything." Olive said truthfully.

Chuck walked over and helped her out of the booth, only to pull her immediately Into a hug.

"I would be honored, Olive." Chuck said.

After cleaning up the flour from ever conceivable surface, Olive Snook took the pie to the house of Lilian and Vivian Charles. The two women were infatuated with Olive's growing baby bump and they continued to ask questions and discuss the child's future. As the week progressed, Olive and Chuck continued to be amicable and placed their efforts into rebuilding their friendship. The Pie-hole continued on as it always does and Digby happily remained in the care of both women. At the end of the week the phone had rung and after answering it, Chuck discovered it was a collect call from Paris. An Automated voice quickly said something in French, but she only caught the end sentence asking her if she would accept the call.

"Oui." Chuck said, accepting the call.

"Hello?" said a familiar sounding voice.

"Ned?" She asked.

"Oh Chuck thank God!" Ned said, relieved.

"Ned! What's going on? I haven't heard from you in days!" She said frantically. Her worry was blatant in her voice.

"Chuck, I need you to listen. I'll answer all your questions I promise, but I don't have much time. Emerson and I found out who murdered Bastien." He stated.

"Well who did it?" She asked impatiently.

"The same person that got me and Emerson put in prison."

"Prison? Ned what the hell is going on?" She asked nervously.

"I'll explain everything, but I need you to come get us out. Were in a prison just outside of Paris, my call is about to end but we need your help," he said.

"Well what is the name of the prison?"

"Emerson gets his call in a little while, he'll give you the details but I have to..."

Ned was cut off as the automated voice spoke in French letting them know their time was up.

Olive walked into the kitchen and up to Chuck.

"What was that about?" She asked.

"Feel like going to Paris?" Chuck asked.

"Do you even have to ask?" Olive said with a smile.

And with that, the two ran upstairs to pack.


	13. L'aventure Commence

Authors Note: This chapter takes place about a week before the phone call to Chuck last chapter. Time to find out what happened!

* * *

After a long and tiresome flight, filled with crying children and a certain lack of personal space, the Pie-maker and private investigator Emerson Cod arrived in Paris, France. Much to the Pie-makers surprise, the usually calm and collected Emerson Cod, has a fear of flying. This did not positively enhance their travels.

"Did we land? Are we gonna land? When the hell do we land?" Emerson asked frantically. His eyes wide in fear, breaths coming in at a rapid rate.

"Relax, we'll be landing in a few minutes." The Pie-maker spoke calmly, as to ease Emerson's anxious state.

Suddenly there was a rumbling coming from the lower part of the plane, and the seats shook ever so slightly. This did not calm the private investigator down.

"What in the hell was that?" Emerson yelled, gripping the armrests with great strength.

"Relax, that was the landing gear. It means the flight is almost over." Ned said, with a slight chuckle of amusement at the sorry sight.

Once the two exited the airport, they found a taxi and went on their way to Saint Paul de Vence, where they were expected at a small bed and breakfast. Upon ringing the doorbell they were greeted by the innkeeper herself.

"Bonjour! Welcome, guests." She paused to assess her new company. Walking over to the large, thick leather guest book, she found the reservation.

The woman spoke with a thick French accent. She was short and portly and well into her seventies. Outwardly, she presented as frigid, but her warmth and kindness coated her words like warm blankets. Her smile was inviting, and her blue eyes beamed with pride for her establishment.

"Ah! Your room is upstairs to the left." She said.

"Room? I thought we each get our own." Ned said, blatantly confused.

"I apologize Monsieur, I was under the impression that a newly wed couple would be sharing the room. Last name ...'Cod'. The woman who made the reservations gave me the information, I assumed a newly married couple would want to share a room. She gave me your descriptions. Are you not Emerson and Ned Cod?"

The Pie-maker found it incredibly difficult to conceal his ever-growing smirk. He knew Chuck had done this on purpose, and somehow he could hear her laughter halfway around the world. He mused on how he missed that sound.

"That would be our reservation." Ned said guiltily.

Emerson shot him a look that said (nonverbally) everything he wished to express. This included a few choice words, many of which are not appropriate for general audiences.

"Wonderful! Follow me, I'll show you to your room."

The two men shuffled off and followed her up the steps to the largest room that was available: the honeymoon suite. Filled with frilly, pink and red covering every inch. The room would've been delightful for an actual couple. There was a love seat and a large door that led to a balcony. Outside, a bottle of expensive champagne rested in an ice bucket next to two glasses. Candles were lit and slowly melting down.

The Pie-maker walked in first and set down his things. The innkeeper grabbed Emersons arm as he went to walk past her. She whispered in his ear with a mischievous smile, and his eyes grew wide with discomfort.

"Your husband is very handsome. I'll make sure you are not bothered while you 'settle in'. If you need anything, I'll be downstairs...far away...unable to hear anything... These are thick walls." She said with a sly wink, making her way out of the room and back down the stairs.

The private investigator, shaken and taken aback by her comments, looked like he was about to be ill. Then as the shock and disgust, aimed at several thoughts that popped into his head, went away, he shifted his focus to the case.

"Emerson? You ok? What did she say to you?" The Pie-maker asked curiously.

"How the hell should I know, I don't speak French. Let's just get to work and get back home quickly. I wanna get out of here." He said annoyed, and physically uncomfortable.

"And when we get back to the Pie-hole, dead girl's got another thing coming!" He said.

"Right. Well, we have a solid plan to get to the body. Tomorrow we'll go and visit the place where it's being held and ask him who killed him. We have the costumes we'll need, we have a way to get in, and we have a way out. I think we're set. Let's get some rest and we'll begin tomorrow." Ned said matter-of-factly.

"Well, I'm getting the bed. You can have the love seat over there in the corner." Emerson pointed at the light pink, miniature sofa in the darkened corner of the room.

The Pie-maker looked at Emerson questionably.

"I got a bad back, and regardless of what she said, I ain't married to you so I ain't sharing the bed. Goodnight!" Emerson turned and blew out the candles before sitting on the bed and getting under the covers.

"So much for a happy honeymoon." Ned mumbled sarcastically.

"What did you say?" Emerson asked, as his eyebrow shot up.

"Nothing. Good night...dear."

"Yeah call me _dear_ one more time, you'll be sleeping on the balcony."

With a snicker, the Pie maker rolled over uncomfortably on the small couch and attempted to rest.

* * *

The next morning, the Pie-maker and Private eye made their way to the coroners office, where Bastien's body was being held. Their plan was simple enough: dressed as coroners, they would sneak in and claim to be new transfers to the office. If the plan were to go wrong, Emerson would serve as a distraction while Ned finds a way in. The plan did in fact go wrong.

"Who are you?" The woman at the front desk stated coldly.

"Uhhh... Like I said. We're new here. Today is our first day."

"And who authorized your being hired? Which agency did you go through?"

"Ummm..The Be a worker Bee agency of employment. I believe our paperwork went through a clerk named Annie...Annie Sullivan."

"We are not associated with any such agency. I see no attempt at contact from an Annie Sullivan." She said flatly.

Flustered, the Pie-maker leaned over to the private investigator and whispered the words.

"Plan B"

A quick nod told him that Emerson understood.

"Excuse me. My colleague can answer these questions for you, but do you have a bathroom?"

"Down the hall, to the right." She muttered as she looked at her computer screen.

"Ok, I'll be right back."

The Pie-maker walked down the hall, leaving a skeptical receptionist in the company of an unprepared Emerson Cod.

"What was the name of the agency? I need to log it in the computer and double check the data."

"Let's forget about that...you have nice eyes. Anybody ever tell you that?"

"I do not enjoy games. Name of the agency, unless you'd rather explain your situation to the authorities."

As Ned made his way down the corridor he was greeted by rooms labeled in French. He barely got halfway down the hall before the shouting began. It seemed as though he and Emerson had worn their welcome. The only problem was, he still hadn't found the body.

They came quickly, and upon seeing him, ran towards him. The security guards chased the Pie-maker until he decided to take a chance and walk into an empty room. Locking the door, he assessed his surroundings.

It was not the medical examination room, but rather a room containing all of the files on all of the bodies. He ran to the first filing cabinet and quickly sorted through the names until he found what he was looking for. Bastien's file. It contained autopsy photos, and the medical assessment, in French of course. It wasn't as good as asking him who killed him, but at least he wasn't leaving empty handed.

The door was being banged on and slammed into. The Pie-maker looked towards the window and decided it was his only chance. As he opened it and positioned himself to jump, the door flew open to reveal the guards shouting, what he assume was the French word for freeze. He jumped, thankfully only a few feet and as soon as his feet touched the ground, he was running.

He made it about a block before Emerson pulled up next to him in the rental car and yelled for him to get in.

"So, how'd your talk with dead guy go?" He asked as he drove off.

"About as well as your distraction!" Ned said sarcastically.

"Hey, I tried. The woman, man she was something else. She saw right through me. I looked into her eyes...felt naked...all kinds of wrong."

"Well thanks to your smooth talking, I never got the chance to ask him. I couldn't even find the right room."

"So now what?"

"Well... I may not have talked with him, but I did manage to grab his file." Ned lifted the brown folder up to show Emerson of his findings.

"So, I guess that means we're solving this case the old fashioned way." Emerson said.

"Guess so."

Thus began their adventure.

TBC


End file.
